


Firsts

by ElizaDarling



Series: There's a Spark You Just Can't Fight [1]
Category: Disney - All Media Types, Onward (2020)
Genre: #Give Ian Lightfoot A Boyfriend, #GiveIanLightfootABoyfriend, Canon LGBTQ Male Character, First Dates, First Kiss, First Love, First Meetings, Football, Gay Pride, Good, High School, LGBTQ Character, M/M, Post-Canon, Pride, Rating May Change, cuz I ain't done and there are two more parts to this, does seeing this update every week get you going shitshippers??, i hate that this is the only ship i have for Ian but I mean it's the only one that matters, more like rating will change but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it, or alternatively, the Onward verse is this idealized world where whatever your sexuality is it's ok idc, the ship name is "Lightheim" and y'all know that if you follow me, there's a playlist that goes along with it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:35:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 74,839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23639944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElizaDarling/pseuds/ElizaDarling
Summary: After the incidents following his 16th birthday, Ian Lightfoot catches the eye of New Mushroomton High's star runningback, Aeric Aldheim. There's an undeniable attraction between the two, and really, after conquering a cursed dragon and learning magic, how scary can dating one of the most popular guys at school be?
Relationships: Ian Lightfoot/Original Male Character(s)
Series: There's a Spark You Just Can't Fight [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1701850
Comments: 84
Kudos: 186





	1. First Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> Are we starting a third fic in the middle of the other two fics? Hah, I couldn't resist. If you follow any of my other socials you know I'm absolutely OBSESSED with the imaginary jock boyfriend I made for Ian.
> 
> Seriously. It's been a month in quarantine and I think he's real. I need help.
> 
> So here's another story —shorter than the other two for sure but it's honestly meant to be just an introduction to Aeric, because I have a pretty epic idea in the making.
> 
> I hope you learn to love him as much as I do!

_**First Meeting** _

" _Hello, my name is... Nice to meet you._

_I think you're famous; where have I seen you?"_

—" **Ready or Not" Bridgit Mendler**

**Aeric**

Gurge is the one who knows most of the story.

He and the rest of his chemistry study group had shown up to school for a study session when suddenly the whole thing just... crumbled. They ran for cover—but atop the rubble, emerged the last person anyone expected to defeat the dragon: one Ian Lightfoot, brandishing a wizard staff.

Ian's in Aeric's Lit and History classes. He's in Chemistry while Aeric has Advanced Physics, still takes gym while Aeric has study hall to make up for all the practice time taken up after school and on game nights. He doesn't say anything in class except to answer a direct call when their teachers try to make sure he's participating. He always sits in the back.

When they come back to school a few weeks later, there's a _change_ in Ian. He starts sitting at the front of the class, starts presenting with confidence and raising his hand to contribute. He confesses that he knows how to do magic, and all of a sudden, everyone wants to be his friend.

That's when Aeric starts noticing.

Ian has these huge, expressive brown eyes and a slightly crooked smile. He gets a little sweaty when he's nervous. He has a tendency to stick his tongue out when he's concentrated on note taking.

Aeric tries not to stare too much in their shared classes. Whenever he thinks Ian might be looking back, he pushes his glasses up his nose and pretends he doesn't notice.

That's when he asks Gurge about Ian: is he fun to be around? Is he as smart as he seems? Is he fun to study with?

Gurge looks like he's about to snap Aeric with a towel just to shut him up. "What, Kelby, you got a crush on him or something?"

Gregor, the team's QB and team captain, is the one who insisted on the team calling Aeric by his middle name. It's a nice name, but he's always resented it.

It's what _she_ wanted to call him, before his dad thankfully insisted on Aeric, after his grandfather.

Aeric sighs. "I'm just trying to figure out how to say hi."

Gurge chuckles. "To answer your _real_ question, I don't know if he likes guys. But never say never."

It takes a lot for Aeric to flush, but this has his ears pinker than usual.

* * *

History is their last class on Tuesdays. Tuesdays are also the one day a week where Aeric doesn't have to practice after school. Usually he grabs some coffee, goes home, and has an awful tendency to work out while he's reading.

This time, Aeric swallows his nervous energy. It's kind of weird to follow Ian to his locker while trying not to look conspicuous, isn't it? Tina, head cheerleader and Gregor's girlfriend, tries to flag him down, but Aeric politely dismisses her for now.

He runs a hand through his hair, taking a deep breath. Then he leans against the locker next to Ian's; he's a good six inches or so shorter than Aeric.

"Hey," he says, trying to be casual. "You're Ian, right?"

Ian pauses, looks around like there might have been another Ian in Aeric's vision. When he realizes Aeric's talking to him, he flushes, looking him up and down.

No. _Oh no_. Aeric _hates_ when people stare at him like that, like he's too good to be talking to Ian. Yes, he's the Dragons' runningback; yes, he's pretty fit, and the contrast between how he looks and how Ian looks might be a bit funny at first.

But he's just a guy, trying to talk to another (admittedly, very _cute_ ) guy.

"Who, me? Yeah," Ian replies after a moment, and Aeric watches his knuckles grasp tighter around his backpack strap. "And you're... Aeric Aldheim."

It's a statement of fact, not a question.

"I am." How is he supposed to break the ice when Ian's so in awe? But Aeric notices what Ian's wearing. "Nice sweatshirt. I hope I get to go there one day."

Ian looks down a moment, like he'd forgotten he'd slipped it on. "Oh, thanks, me too," he replies. "It was my dad's—he went there."

That's when Aeric notices the small "Lightfoot" embroidered in purple above the Willowdale logo. He can't help but smile. "So... funny story." He finally knows what to talk about.

"Hm?" Ian looks up, but one of his hands is rummaging through his locker.

"When... the school was destroyed, the team had to find another school to practice. We ended up at Willowdale. The other guys, they complained about the commute, but I dunno... I got a feel for the campus, and the _stadium_." He can feel the grin on his face grow the more he talks. "Their runningback even came up to me and said I had promise, which... I mean, I can't even believe it." Oh gods, is he rambling? Does Ian even know what he's talking about?

Aeric clears his throat. "I guess I just wanted to say 'thanks.' I probably wouldn't have even had this opportunity if... you know."

"If I didn't blow up the school?" Ian finishes. But he's smiling, at least. "That's really cool. Usually when people thank me for what happened, it's always said with, like, fifty layers of irony and sarcasm." He stuffs a book in his backpack.

This gets Aeric to chuckle. Ian's pretty funny. "No, trust me, this is pretty genuine." And now, the clincher. If Ian rejects, Aeric can always play it off as friendly, not... well, whatever the hell he's trying to go for. "So, uh... what are you doing right now?"

"Right now?" Ian repeats, rolling up his sleeve a bit to look at his watch. "My brother usually picks me up, but he just got a new job and I think he's training right now. I was just gonna take the bus home and do homework. Why?"

"I know this coffee place, like, a couple of blocks from school," says Aeric. Can Ian hear his heart pounding? Because it's pounding in his ears. He scratches the back of his head to look casual, but all he notices is that his undercut's getting a little shaggy and he should touch it up soon. "If you want, we could study there together for a bit."

Ian bites his lip, but to Aeric's delight, it's to hold back a grin. "Sure!" he blurts out, kind of loud. "I don't know coffee, but it sounds fun."

Aeric offers to give Ian a ride home afterward, and that seems to ease Ian when it comes to how long the bus will take after a certain time. The moment they're seen walking out of school together, he can feel his phone blowing up in his back pocket, which can only mean Tina must have seen them. Aeric Aldheim, New Mushroomton High's prized runningback, walking with Ian Lightfoot, newfound wizard. What could be happening? Where could they be going?

"I noticed you're not carrying around your staff," Aeric points out. "No need to do magic at school?"

Ian waves a hand. "That was really just a prop for that History presentation," he says. "Mom says if I start bringing it all the time, I'll be pressured into using it for other people."

Given their student body, that's not a far fetched idea. Aeric nods. "That makes sense," he says. "How did you even _know_ you could do magic?"

"Um... it's kind of a long story," warns Ian. "You _sure_ you want to hear it?"

Please. Like Aeric is even _thinking_ about studying when he could be getting to know Ian. Homework can wait. "I'm all ears," he replies. The coffee shop is already coming up on the next block.

There's a twinkle of mischief in Ian's dark eyes, like he's just thought of something. "What?" asks Aeric.

"Race you to the coffee shop. Loser pays for the winner's drink!" He's already off, sprinting.

Even with the head start, Aeric _knows_ he can still beat Ian if he wants to.

But he doesn't.

Grin plastered to his face, Aeric jogs behind Ian and loses to him by just a hair (he has to at least _pretend_ Ian won fair and square). He holds the door open for his winner. "Well, fair's fair. What can I get you?"

Ian squints his eyes at the menu, like he can't tell the difference between a cappuccino and an iced blended. "Um..." he starts, "what do you recommend?"

Aeric thinks about his diet. It's skim, sugar-free syrup lattes for him for the rest of time. But when he wants to be bad...

"How much caffeine are you looking to consume?" he asks.

"Not very much," Ian confesses. "It's a school night. And doesn't caffeine stunt growth?"

That makes Aeric chuckle; he's so cute, trying to be good. "Iced blended," Aeric decides. "It's more like a milkshake."

Hearing that makes Ian's ears perk up a bit. "I like milkshakes."

A vision of them at some vinyl-covered booth in a diner, two straws sharing a single milkshake while Ian holds his hand across the table, flashes briefly through Aeric's mind. He needs to stop having such an active imagination—so far he's had no indication if Ian even _likes_ him, let alone like _that_.

"Good," he says. "What's your favorite flavor?"

"Chocolate chip?"

They don't explicitly have that on the menu, but Aeric has been in this place enough to know that if you get bored enough, you can make a drink out of pretty much anything and invent something new. And he's going to make sure Ian gets exactly what he wants.

He orders his usual latte and the customized drink for Ian, but when he turns around, Ian isn't there. Aeric can feel his heart stop for a moment; he didn't just—

"Aeric, over here!" Ian flags him down at a booth by the window, where the sun is shining through to make their lighting better. He sighs in relief, heading over to set his backpack down across from Ian. He's never been stood up before, but he has a feeling that if it came from Ian, it'd hurt so much more than any of the other guys in which he'd previously been interested.

Their drinks are made pretty quickly, and Aeric hides his annoyed expression as he hands Ian's over.

"Is that how you spell your name?" he asks, taking a sip. "Mm... this is delicious, thank you."

"Uh... no." Aeric's nose scrunches, knowing the baristas got it wrong, _again_. Today he's "Arik." He tells Ian how his name is actually spelled.

"Oh, that's... different." Ian's drinking this iced blended like he's going for a record. "I like it. It's better than my name."

Aeric chuckles, taking a sip of his latte. Definitely better than the sludge at Satyrbucks. "I dunno—'Ian' is really suited for you."

"It's short for 'Iandore.'" Aeric watches Ian's face scrunch up, and is there any expression he can make that isn't automatically adorable off the bat? "Barley calls me that every once in a while, but I prefer 'Ian.'"

Aeric fights the urge to say something _too_ flirty in reply. "Well then, _Ian_ —indulge me, before you finish off your drink: how did you figure out you could do magic?"

Ian goes into this huge story about his sixteenth birthday, about how Barley tried a visitation spell to resurrect their father for one day, whom Ian never met. Aeric is immediately sympathetic; he can't think of a life without his dad, but at least Ian has his older brother. The more he talks about their adventure, from the Manticore to Ian's first drive on the freeway against Pixies, Aeric is hooked. He's _enamored_. Ian's hands are waving around to describe every detail, and he's not thinking too hard about what he's talking so animatedly. When he's unhinged, his eyes go big, and Aeric can gauge that smile: kind of crooked, but something he wants to keep seeing. He hopes he doesn't look like some love struck idiot.

Aeric laughs when Ian tells him about the bridge, and can feel himself inclining forward by the time Ian describes a gelatinous cube. Hearing the story from Ian as opposed to Gurge just adds so much weight and heft—this _epic_ quality you can't get from hearing it secondhand. Ian talks about how powerful and confident magic makes him feel, and Aeric can sense that just hearing him speak.

"Wow" is all he can say in response, taking a huge gulp of coffee. Sure, he's asked the occasional question for clarification, but for the most part, he's been staring open-mouthed and wide-eyed at Ian. He's _amazed_. "You're incredible."

The comment immediately brings Ian back to his more reserved self. He tries to process it with another huge gulp of his drink. "I wouldn't say _that_ ," he says. "I mean, you've done some pretty amazing stuff, too. Way more than just _one_ thing."

True, Aeric's got a few things going for him: last year he was New Mushroomton's youngest runningback on the varsity team, he's pretty smart, and he's not ashamed for who he is or what kind of people attract him. But when it comes to Ian, taking less than twenty-four hours to practically master some advanced magic, that's something else entirely.

Ian is slurping down the last of his iced blended, taking off the lid so he can scoop up the whipped cream residue with his straw. Aeric can't remember the last time he had a drink like Ian's—definitely before he joined any team and suddenly diets were a very real thing. "I guess so," he decides. "But I'm not some larger than life genius. I'm just a guy who likes physics and playing ball."

"A really _nice_ guy," Ian points out, pointing at Aeric with his straw. "Even Barley makes me pay for my food when we go out."

Aeric chuckles. "Hey, _you're_ the one who made the bet in the first place."

"'Cause I knew I'd win taking you by surprise!" Ian's laughing, too, and the sound is infectious, absolutely sweet. "Maybe Willowdale should recruit me for their team!"

"At least I'd know they're in good hands," says Aeric. "There's no one else I'd be okay losing to besides you."

It's enough to get Ian to flush, but Aeric kind of means it. After a moment, Aeric can feel Ian playfully kicking him under the table.

"You're just saying that so I'll lose the next race and I have to pay for you."

They're actually... kind of flirting. Aeric lightly taps Ian's foot back. "Maybe. A good ego booster always shakes things up. Besides, don't you believe in equality?"

Ian laughs, but when han looks outside, he notices they've been talking so long that the sun is getting low in the sky. "Oh, gosh—we've been talking so much we didn't even get to any studying!" he exclaims, gathering up his backpack. "I should probably be getting home."

"I did offer to drive you," Aeric points out, reaching over to take Ian's cup. Talking to Ian is just so _easy,_ given he always looks so attentive, like he really wants to listen. And the more Ian talks, the less flustered he is, really given a chance to shine.

Maybe he can say this next thing without it feeling too forward. "If... you still want to study and you're having a difficult time with homework, maybe we should exchange numbers."

Ian blinks, freezing halfway out of the booth as he thinks about what Aeric is also kind of implying. "Sure," he says. "And... maybe we can sit together during class."

Aeric grins, holding the door open for Ian. "Nothing would make me happier."


	2. First Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ian attends his first New Mushroomton High game, and has something he wants to ask Aeric.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so grateful for all the support I've gotten so far for these boys, not only here, but on my other socials, as well! You know how passionate I've gotten about them —almost annoyingly so. But I can't help it; they're so cute! And I have to share them with you, prolly cuz I'm insecure and I want you guys to love Aeric as much as I do.
> 
> Is the song from A Goofy Movie? Yes. And it fits Ian perfectly.

_**First Game** _

" _I'm under a spell, I'm in over my head_

_And you know I'm going all of the way 'til the end."_

—" **Stand Out" Tevin Campbell**

**Ian**

Aeric texts him the moment he gets home on Tuesday night, and it's like whatever Ian says, Aeric always wants to respond. Ian keeps seeing the three little dots on their conversation, like if he doesn't have the last word, he's afraid it'll just die out.

Does Aeric... _like_ him? Like that? But he's just Ian. Sure, he can do magic, but he's this skinny beanpole who has a hard time talking to people, and Aeric is this... near god of a man, with the muscles and the sharp jawline. Everyone _adores_ him.

Ian flushes. He's thinking about Aeric before bed. He's _laying_ in bed thinking about Aeric. But he's never thought about _anyone_ like that before, about the double hearts Aeric sends in his good night text, or about how big his smile is, the way he pushes his round glasses up his nose or his violet eyes...

And then Aeric sits next to him in Lit on Wednesday. His varsity jacket is big enough so Ian can't _see_ his muscles, just like yesterday, but this time, he thinks about how they look, crossed over his desk. Aeric has a tendency to purse his lips when he's deep in thought and jiggles his leg. Maybe it's because he's so used to being on the move all the time, playing with the team. They talk about themes of the book they're reading, but during discussion, Aeric lets himself go off topic.

"You ever been to a game?" he asks. "It's cool if you haven't; they're not for everyone."

Ian shakes his head. There's so many people in the stands, and even though Gurge is on the team, and Sadalia just made cheerleading squad (on top of writing for the school paper—is there anything that girl can't do?), it's always feels like too much. Besides, he knows nothing about the game. When is he supposed to cheer? How is he supposed to know what's going on? "No, but... my friends tell me I should go to one sometime."

Aeric shrugs, but his body language suggests he's only _trying_ to act casual. "You should," he suggests. "First home game since reopening, on the new field..."

Any mention of the school bring destroyed never fails to make Ian turn red. He's not sure if he's ever going to get over it. "Um... maybe," he says politely, but that's just a nice way of saying "no."

And Aeric knows that, because his face falls immediately after. "It's not... _just_ about the game. Hell, I know my mom still doesn't really understand it, but she still shows up every once in a while."

"That's 'cause she's your mom," Ian points out.

"Okay, okay, _bad_ example." Aeric waves his hand. Is it just Ian, or are the tips of his ears getting pinker? "But... it's about the _school spirit_. It's about seeing all your friends and not knowing what's going on, but knowing that when the cheerleaders and the team are happy, so are you and it's just... infectious."

Aeric _really_ loves the game, Ian realizes. He loves playing for the Dragons and helping lead the team to victory. Sadalia's been trying to get Ian to this game, bringing it up with Gurge during Chem, but Ian's been pretty resilient, especially since Althea's going out of town to her dad's on Friday.

Knowing Aeric _also_ wants him there is starting to tip the scale.

"So what, I hang out until right before the game starts?" he asks. "Do homework in the library or Burger Realm and head back to school?"

Aeric makes a fist, but with that grin re-emerging (it's, like, the _perfect_ smile, too), Ian can tell it's just to contain his excitement. "You'll love it; I _swear_ you'll love it, or I'll.. I dunno, buy you iced blended drinks at the coffee shop every day until we graduate."

"You really would?" It sounds hyperbolic, but Aeric seems to be the type of guy that's all-or-nothing.

"You can remember this conversation to remind me, if you have to," Aeric promises. "Trust me, _nothing_ would be cooler than seeing you at a game."

"Mr. Aldheim, I see you're getting off topic," their teacher calls out, and the class silences. Aeric clears his throat, pushing his glasses up his nose. "Maybe we keep our heads out of the field and in the books for now, yes?"

But Aeric shoots Ian a wink, and that has him looking awestruck the rest of class.

* * *

Thursday night, he's presented with a conundrum. Barley's working Friday night, and Mom is going out with Colt, leaving Ian without a car, and with the buses running too infrequently. Ian supposes he can as Parthenope and her parents for a ride—but out of everyone in his science group, he feels least close to her.

He thinks about the fact that Aeric already knows where he lives from when he'd been dropped off Tuesday evening.

Should he?

Should he just bail and stay home on Friday?

Ian can feel his palms start to sweat. Sure, Aeric was nice enough to give him a ride before, but Ian knows he's going to have to stick around for the team to finish packing up. For Aeric to get out of the locker room...

He slaps his face lightly a few times; every time he thinks about Aeric it's always about his laugh, or his violet eyes, or, well... what he imagines he looks like without a shirt. When he looks at his texts he notices a few of the ones Aeric has sent are punctuated with double hearts, especially the ones in parting.

But he's so _popular_ , and muscled, and everyone knows him, but he's been sitting in class with Ian and _talking_ to him. Not just about what he can do with magic, but... getting to know him.

Ian slumps back in his chair, groaning as he runs a hand over his face. How is he supposed to tell Mom and Barley that there's this guy at school he's been hanging out with? That he might... actually _like_? Not that _that_ part will be much of a problem, but... it's still kind of a big deal. Barley has been on a few dates with a slew of different, interesting people, but Ian's never shown interest in _anyone_.

The idea of holding hands with Aeric down the halls of school or _kissing_ him (even though he has no idea what that's supposed to feel like) starts to ring louder in his head the more they talk or text. It's not a _bad_ ringing, it's more of that thinking about it makes his stomach flutter and he can feel a smile start to grow. But he, Ian Lightfoot, just some fluke beginner wizard dating _Aeric Aldheim_ , the school's prized runningback? Would people cheer them on or laugh? Would _Aeric_ laugh at the idea?

He closes his notes and pulls out the old boom box. He finds Dad's tape and pops it in. Sure, he's heard it a million times, but the imaginary conversations help him through a few things, even if it's only a thirty second tape, and it's the only thing he knows about Dad's voice. He knows how to time it all perfectly.

Ian rests his head on his arms as Mom chastises Dad for tinkering with the recording. He's not sure exactly what he's going to say, but...

" _I think I've got it! Hello, hello_?"

"Hey, Dad, it's Ian again. There's... something I want to tell you."

" _Oh, is that right_?"

"Yeah... you kind of understand crushes, right?"

His dad's laugh always puts him at ease. " _Well, I'm trying to_."

And here it is; he can say it. Just let it out. "I think I like guys. Well, _one_ specific guy."

There's that laugh again, light and calming. " _I know_." It's nice to hear that. He _knows_. It doesn't matter. It takes a huge weight off his shoulders.

"If I tell him, I think he'll probably want to start dating. It's kind of scary, but it's worth it, isn't it?"

" _Oh. Let's find out_."

He knew that's what Dad would say, but it's still assuring to hear. He _should_ take this risk; he's in high school. He's faced more terrifying things than _this_. "Okay. Thanks for talking to me, Dad."

" _Okay, bye_." The tape ends a moment later, as Ian knows it would.

"Bye." He sighs, at least feeling a bit better.

It gives him enough courage, at least, to text Aeric and bring up that if he stays for a game, he won't have a ride home afterward.

And Aeric takes it, quickly texting back that he's more than happy to give Ian a ride—as long as Ian's okay waiting around for him. It takes about another hour, he warns.

Ian thinks about it, leaning back in his seat. On the one hand, he gets to see Aeric in action, finally see what all the fuss is about and finally get Gurge and Sadalia off his back about attending (and, if he hates it, free iced blended drinks for a year and a half).

On the other hand, he has to wait around.

But he can bring his backpack; he has his homework and can probably get most of it done in the meantime, freeing up his weekend for... well, anything, really.

Ian makes a list for Friday.

**[] Dress warm for game**

**[] Bring all books for homework**

**[] Study at library**

**[] Arrive early!**

**[] Ask Parthenope for game rules**

**[] Study at bleachers while waiting for Aeric after the game**

**[] ASK AERIC OUT ON A DATE**

If he doesn't, someone else will, given how handsome Aeric is. He can be brave—Dad and Barley taught him he always had it in him all along.

* * *

On Friday, he gets to the field so early that the JV team is still playing. Ian just tunes it out with his headphones in the second row of bleachers, working on homework. It's a little uncomfortable, but the library's lighting is far worse (unfortunately, not an upgrade as a result of rebuilding the school). He spots the cheerleading squad practicing on the track and Sadalia's face lights up when she sees him. "Ian!" she calls, jogging up to him during a break. "You actually made it to a game!"

"Yup, just... waiting for it to start." Most of the audience is parents right now, or kids still waiting for rides after school.

"Waiting for a certain runningback to take the field?" Sadalia teases, nudging his shoulder.

Great. Apparently his crush is insanely obvious. Ian tenses and can feel his cheeks heating up. " _No_ ," he tries to deny. "I'm here to cheer you and Gurge on. First game on the new field and all." Gods, he's a terrible liar.

And yep, Sadalia doesn't believe a word of it. "It's not just you," she assures. "Aeric won't shut up about you to anyone who will listen."

"He... won't?" He can feel the grin forming on his face.

"Well, you know me—always snooping around for my journalistic calling. Also Tina knows him pretty well." Sadalia points to the gorgeous, purple-haired cyclops practicing her splits. "She says he's never talked about anyone like he does about you."

"Cheerleaders and rumors," he dismisses. "I'm just—"

"You're _Ian_ ," she assures, squeezing his shoulder. "And that's more than enough."

Before he can even think of a rebuttal, Sadalia rejoins the team. Ian looks down at the list he made last night—he can do this.

He feels like he's barely looked down at his homework again before he's being interrupted again—this time by Aeric _in uniform_. He commits the number "nine" to memory so he can make him out on the field later. The long strands atop his head are pulled back into a little bun, he's not wearing his glasses, and Ian tries not to stare at how _broad_ he is. He knows it's the shoulder pads, but _still_.

He opens his mouth to say something, but nothing comes out. He doesn't even know what thoughts are.

Luckily, Aeric always knows what to say. "You're here early," he teases lightly. "We're just barely starting warm-ups."

Ian tries to laugh it off, like this was entirely intentional, and like he's _not_ stalking Aeric. "Uh... yeah! Just super stoked to see every moment of playing!" Oh ground, please swallow him up now.

"Getting a good seat to see all the action?" Aeric is... playing along. He's not making fun of Ian, no matter how much _dumb_ is coming out of his mouth. His chuckle is light, like he thinks Ian is... funny?

"Um... something like that," he ekes out.

" _Kelby_ , come on!" A centaur—the coach, Ian deducts, blows a whistle, and Aeric sighs.

"'Kelby'?" Ian repeats, confused.

"It's my middle name," Aeric explains, rolling his eyes. "Our wide receiver's name is _also_ Erik. I didn't choose it."

"Oh." So, "Aeric" it is. But his middle name strangely suits him. Aeric Kelby Aldheim. AKA. Oh, Barley is not going to like that.

"I'd better get out there," he sighs, tossing his helmet into his opposite hand. "And I'd better hear you cheering later." It's a tease, but Aeric is this expert of keeping his tone light.

"You will!" Ian promises, and he tries not to stare as Aeric descends the bleachers and gets back on the field.

He fails.

* * *

Parthenope does her best to try and explain the rules of the game to Ian, but it's all gibberish to him. He just cheers whenever Sadalia and the other cheerleaders do, screams when the bleachers go crazy. He loses sight of Aeric a couple of times, as there's just too many out there on the field. Gurge, on the other hand, sticks out like a sore thumb, and Ian is impressed at how many other players he can hold back on his own.

But Aeric is right: even if he knows nothing about the game, he's having _fun_. He gets caught up in the school spirit, feeling pride as the Dragons take their victory against the Phoenixes. He notices that Aeric even threw a few of the winning touchdowns, and even though his voice is a little hoarse, it's all worth it.

Whenever Aeric takes off his helmet for a water break or during timeouts, Ian stares. Before long, Parthenope catches on and squeezes his shoulder. "You enjoying the view?" she teases.

Ian flushes; is there _anyone_ who doesn't know about his crush on Aeric? Is he that obvious? "It's just a lot of fun!" he confesses.

Parthenope waits with Ian on the bleachers as the teams file out. He tells her how Aeric is taking him home and that he doesn't mind waiting, so she texts her parents that the game is letting out later than usual.

She's so considerate—he debates working on homework with her, but they instead are too excited by the events of tonight, and recount everything. But it's all good; he's finished most of it to free up that weekend.

For what he's going to ask Aeric.

"He said if I hated the game he'd buy me iced blended drinks at Sirens until graduation," he explains, leaning back and facing up toward the stars. The giant floodlights are still on, bathing the bleachers in a white glow. "Unfortunately, I didn't hate it."

"Sirens always spells my name wrong," Parthenope sighs. "But they do make the best drinks. You know it means he likes you."

"No it doesn't!" Ian scoffs, waving a dismissive hand. "I mean, did you see him out there? He's, like, one of the most popular guys at school. There's probably a dozen other boys who are also all sporty, and chiseled—"

"And yet, _you're_ the one he goes out of his way to talk to," she points out. She leans back with Ian, her hooves kicking beneath her. " _You're_ the one he offered to drive home because he wanted you to see this game. I mean, if you're scared about it because he's the first guy you've ever liked—"

"He's the first _anyone_ I've ever liked," Ian clarifies.

"Well. Even still." She exhales. "He doesn't seem like the type of guy who goes for looks over everything. Obviously he sees something in you that you don't see in yourself just yet."

She's so insightful. Ian wonders why he's never had a one-on-one conversation with her until now.

Her phone buzzes. "Crap, that's my parents out front." She stands, grabbing her purse. "You think he'll be much longer? I can try to stall, if you want."

"No, it's fine," Ian assures, and waves her along. "I'm sure they'll be out any minute. And you've been waiting with me long enough." And if worse comes to worst, he can always call Mom—she'll leave a date night with Colt early to get him.

"Well, if you're sure," she says, descending the stairs adjacent to the bleachers. "Have a good night. I'll see you Monday for Chem with the rest of the group! Good luck with Aeric!"

"Thanks! See you Monday!" He watches her round the corner and leave, and luckily it's just a few moments before he receives a text from Aeric that he's just about ready to pop out, and Ian should meet him at the locker room exit.

The cheerleading squad is heading out, but it looks like Ian's missed Sadalia. Too bad—he wanted to tell her how fun he thought the halftime routine was.

The pretty cyclops from earlier approaches him, though. "You're Ian, right?" she asks.

Ian blinks. "Um... I am," he says, after a moment. She's swimming in the giant varsity jacket she's wearing—she must be a girlfriend of someone on the team.

"Lorentina Galethorp." She offer a pretty, manicured hand for him to shake, which he does. "But everyone calls me 'Tina.' You're in Sadalia's Chem group, yeah? She's so sweet—and smart! Can you believe she wanted to do cheerleading _on top_ of writing for the school paper?"

Ian gathers that she's really talkative, but she seems nice. He just chuckles in reply. "Yeah—kind of crazy."

"If anyone can do it, she can. She's honestly one of my contenders for Captain next year already—but don't tell her that." If she had more than one eye, she'd probably follow that up with a wink.

"I, uh... won't," Ian promises. He's probably going to forget about it, honestly.

Tina says her goodbyes to the rest of her team as they pass, but she's made no effort to leave. "Are you waiting for someone?" he asks.

"My boyfriend," she sighs. "He's team captain, _I'm_ team captain." It should sound narcissistic, but Tina's breathy voice is so effortless it sounds genuine. "Those boys take even longer than we do! You're waiting for Aeric, right?"

At the mention of his name, Ian flushes. "I, uh... he offered to give me a ride home," he confesses.

"Oh?" Tina inclines a little closer. "That boy is so smitten with you—! You must have really made an impression after the school reopened."

All he's done is just gone off of what he's learned from Barley and Dad. But he needs to stop thinking of it as a hindrance, or as something that couldn't have possibly caught Aeric's eye. "You know if he likes me?" he asks lowly, instead of denying it this time.

" _Well_ —" Tina's eye squints a bit. "I can't exactly say for _certain_ , but I know this: I've seen him flush whenever your name gets brought up. He's also insanely quick to defend you if someone wants to talk about you destroying the school, and he just gets this dreamy look in his eyes every once in a while... you sure you didn't cast a love spell on him?"

"N-no!" Does something like that even exist? He'll have to ask Barley—not like he'll ever use it. "I swear!"

"Oh, honey, I'm just teasing!" She squeezes Ian's shoulder. "He likes you, don't worry. He wouldn't go out of his way to talk to you before a game or offer to drive you home if he didn't."

She nods over to another cyclops walking out of the locker room. "There's Gregor!" Tina waves over to him, but he's walking to his car, so she starts jogging over.. "Nice to meet you, Ian!"

"You too!" he calls, and there's a tap on his shoulder.

Ian jumps, but there's Aeric. His hair is a little damp after his shower (and it's out of the bun—why is that disappointing to him?). From this close, Ian gets a pretty good whiff of his body spray, and he's not sure if he can do this. He's already weak in the knees.

"You waited," says Aeric, almost in relief.

"I did," Ian replies, and he's sure his smile is dumb. But he can't help it. "You're not wearing your glasses."

"Contacts." Aeric points to his face. "I only wear them on game days."

Ian's not sure what he likes better. On the one hand, his glasses kind of complete his face, big and round and perfect.

On the other hand, he can really get lost in those violet eyes. "Oh. Well, you look nice in them." Shut up, Ian!

"Oh?" Aeric cocks his head and Ian straightens up to follow him to his car. "Maybe I should wear them more often. Much as I hate poking my eyes with them."

"You don't have to do that." Ian shoves his hands under his arms—a habit he's been telling himself he needs to stop breaking. But he can't help it when he's this nervous; he's sure Aeric can tell he might start freaking out.

Luckily, Aeric changes the subject. "I saw you cheering out there. Pretty sure I've won the bet."

That loosens him up a bit, and Ian chuckles. "Okay, you were right. I had no idea what was going on, but I had fun and got caught up in the zeitgeist."

"'Zeitgeist,' eh?" Aeric hoists his gym bag higher on his shoulder. "Looks like I don't owe you iced blended drinks until graduation. _But_ I don't mind buying one for you every once in a while."

Someone who didn't like him wouldn't have offered that. He has to keep reminding himself, or he won't have the confidence to ask Aeric out.

"Oh, good," says Ian, wishing he can control how quickly his heart is beating. "They're pretty delicious."

Aeric also doesn't have to open the door to his car for Ian, but does so anyway. His car is navy, clean, and other than a few New Mushroomton High stickers and decals, doesn't have much to it. But it fits him, and even though Guinevere 2.0 is a way cooler ride, Ian feels a lot safer in here than there (and he's never telling Barley). He buckles in.

Before Aeric can start the ignition, Ian speaks. "Can I ask you something? Before we drive off?"

"Of course." Aeric turns so he can face him fully. "What's up?"

Oh gods, he can do this. What's the worse that can happen? Aeric laughs in his face, kicks him out of the car, and finds a hot guy to make out with in front of Ian.

Which is impossible (he's pretty sure).

He takes a deep breath. Slowly—don't rush it. "So... I get the Friends and Family Discount at the Manticore's Tavern, and I was wondering if you might want to have dinner there together tomorrow night?"

After his birthday, Corey was pretty quick to hire Barley onto the team once the tavern was rebuilt—it's his first real job, and Mom couldn't be happier. This time, he can pay.

Is it just him, or is Aeric... grinning? Ian does a double take: nope, he's not imagining it—Aeric is _smiling_.

" _Yes_!" he cries, and it's like he's been holding in the answer. It even sounds a little higher pitched. "I mean..." He clears his throat. "Tina's throwing a victory party tomorrow night at her place, but this is _much_ cooler. I'd love to go out with you."

Oh, he can sigh in relief. Aeric actually wants to go out on a date! He'd _love_ to!

"On _one_ condition."

"Um..." His own smile disappears. "What is it?"

Aeric chuckles, starting up the engine. "It's nothing huge—you just have to pick me up in that sweet ride of yours."

Ian blinks. "You... you mean Guinevere? My brother's van?"

"Yeah, I've seen it around. It's, like, the coolest thing ever."

"Sure—" But Ian stops himself, remembering. He's just so stoked that Aeric thinks Guinevere is _cool_. "But I can't. I only have my learner's permit, and my brother's working."

Aeric shrugs. "No problem—obviously it was a joke. Kind of." He laughs again to lighten up the mood. "I don't mind picking you up; just let me know what time."

He can't believe this is happening. Aeric wants to go on a date with him. He's bypassing what's sure to be a really cool party with the popular kids so they can go to the Manticore's Tavern. Sure, Barley is working that night and will probably interrogate both of them, but it's bound to happen, anyway. And if Aeric wants to go out with him after that... well, maybe it's meant to be.

"Is 6:30 okay?" he asks.

"Yeah, perfect." Aeric's eyes are focused on the road, but there's a grin on his face. "And here I thought I would have to be the one to make the first move—you beat me to it."

Ian blinks. "You... you wanted to ask me out, too?"

"Well... yeah." This time, his chuckle is laced with a little nervousness. "You're insanely cute."

What are thoughts. What is anything. Ian thinks he's stopped functioning for a moment. "M-me?" he finally stutters out.

"Yeah, _you_." Aeric reaches over to poke his shoulder lightly. "Thought I was being obvious enough."

Ian's mind is reeling—he can't believe he's hearing this. Aeric _likes_ him and wants to go out with him. Aeric thinks he's cute. Aeric likes _him_ , Ian Lightfoot, because to Aeric he's not just the kid who blew up the school.

"Guess I'm just really bad at reading signs..." He feels like he can both tense up and relax. On the one hand, Aeric's reaction is better than what he could have hoped for. On the other... now he has to worry about what he's gonna wear. What he's gonna say. What'll happen if Aeric wants to kiss him.

"In my experience, most guys are unless you're _insanely_ clear about your intentions," Aeric sighs. "I'm no exception to that rule, unfortunately."

They pull up to his house. He has to make sure they don't end this awkwardly, because Aeric can still change his mind. "Thanks for the ride," he says, unbuckling his seatbelt. "I really did have fun at the game."

"Good." Aeric's been smiling the whole drive, he realizes. "I liked knowing you were in the stands. Made me want to play better."

"You were trying to _impress_ me?" Ian asks, incredulous. "Why?"

"You _know_ why." Aeric faces him fully, and Ian's sure his heart as just left his chest. "'Cause you're cute and I like you."

Every time he says it, Ian can feel his cheeks heat up. He's probably not even blue anymore; he's _pink_. In a moment of impulse, he reaches over the console and hugs Aeric quickly. He smells so good and he's not sure how he can spend a few hours with this guy without saying at least a few terribly stupid things. Sure, the hug is a little awkward, but when he pulls away, Aeric is still smiling.

"I-I like you, too," he confesses, finally opening the door. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow night, then?"

"6:30," Aeric reiterates. "I'll text you when I get home, and I promise I won't be late."

"Okay." It _is_ nice knowing when Aeric gets home safely. "Good night."

"Night, Ian." Aeric waves, and he doesn't drive off until after he sees Ian gets inside safely.

He's grinning the whole time he's getting ready for bed, and in the mirror he knows he looks like an idiot, but he doesn't care. He grins as he checks off everything off his list—even if some of the things he's done today aren't _exactly_ what he has written. It gets even bigger after he finishes brushing his teeth and notices Aeric has texted him.

" _Home. Can't wait for our date tomorrow_." And it's punctuated with multiple hearts.

" _Me neither_ ," Ian texts back, with the blue heart. " _Time for bed_."

" _Same here. Good night, Ian_." There are the hearts again.

" _Night, Aeric_." He likes typing his name. And he likes the way it looks with the heart next to it.

As always, Aeric has the last word, just sending the hearts again. When he taps them, a bunch of hearts float up his screen like balloons.

Ian kisses the tips of his fingers, pressing them to Dad's cheek on the picture of him smiling. "Thanks, Dad. I couldn't have done this without you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit longer of a chapter, but it's a lot of fun writing for Ian, like it is for Aeric! But we have liftoff! Hopefully all this fluff is helping you out in these trying times—it's definitely helping me.
> 
> Kudos and comments are greatly appreciated! Let me know what you think of Aeric, and don't be afraid to follow my ask-lightheim sideblog on tumblr!


	3. First Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ian and Aeric go on their first date to the Manticore's Tavern.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> me: this fic is gonna be short
> 
> also me: 6k is normal for a chapter right?
> 
> Much as I love looking into Aeric's home life and this first date, I want to get to the cute stuff.

_**First Date** _

" _Who gave you eyes like that—said you could keep them?_

_I don't know how to act, or if I should believe them_

_I'm running out of time, going out of my mind_

_But I need to tell you something, yeah, I need to tell you something."_

—" **I Really Like You" Carly Rae Jepsen**

**Aeric**

It takes him forever to sleep on Friday night. His mind is still reeling thinking about Ian _actually_ asking him out and reciprocating his feelings. Sure, Aeric had to be insanely obvious about them, but in the end, it's all worth it.

He's going out with Ian tomorrow night!

Aeric eventually passes out well past midnight once the nerves are out of his system and he goes through all the potentially terrible scenarios (such as Ian calling him a meathead before rejecting him, the Tavern catching on fire—the usual jitters). Usually he's up by eight for his morning run (better than his five AM run on weekdays, anyway), but he's slept through his alarm—and Mom is brushing his hair back.

"Hey, sweetie, it's nine thirty." She usually _hates_ coming upstairs, knowing she has to use the specialized ramp, but there she is, leaning over her portable tank. Being a mermaid on dry land, Aeric knows from experience, can be pretty limiting. "A little late for your run."

Aeric groans, reaching over to grab his glasses. "I guess it is," he sighs. His voice is still a little hoarse from last night.

"Sorry we couldn't make your game." She still has a tendency to run her hands through his hair, and he's never gotten sick of it, even as a teenager.

He's always been a Mama's boy, deep down. Probably because for six years, he never had one, and he still feels like he's making up for lost time.

"'S okay," he assures, starting to sit up. Honestly, if his parents were there, he isn't sure if he'd even be going out on this date tonight. "How was the dinner?"

Important dinner, important clients—all adult stuff Aeric still has no interest in. "Boring as hell," Mom confesses, her hand dropping. "I would have much rather seen my boy throwing _two_ touchdowns into the end zone and helping lead his team to victory."

Of course she's already heard about that. Truth be told, both those throws were insanely risky, but seeing Ian in the crowd had him wanting to impress—and it pulled off.

Maybe Ian is his good luck charm.

"It was a good night," he says, biting his lip as he reminisces about the drive home, and the hug Ian gave him.

Mom furrows her brow for a moment, but she figures it out. "Oh, I know that look. What's his name?" she goads.

She was the first one he told, when he was twelve. A very timid, "Mom, I think I only like boys," and she scooped him up in her arms and said she knew. She still hasn't stopped loving him, and every day Aeric still wishes that, biologically, he was hers.

She knows him too well.

"Ian Lightfoot?"

"The kid who blew up the school?" And of _course_ Mom knows about that, too. "You sure that's a good idea?"

"Well—" Well, yes, of course it is. Because there's so much more to him than that. "He also _rebuilt_ the school. And without that, I never would have gotten to practice at Willowdale," he points out. "I mean, he's also _cute_ , and really smart and funny."

"Okay, okay, I get it!" She laughs. "Obviously there's more to this kid than I know. You're going out tonight?"

Aeric nods. "I'm picking him up at six thirty."

Mom hums. "Well, if you want to make this date, you can skip the run, but you _have_ to fit in a few pool laps with your normal workout, at least, and at least half your homework has to be done—I don't care how cute he is."

"You got it." He doesn't care how much crunch time he's putting into this—for Ian, it's worth it.

"All right." She leans over and kisses his cheek. "Get freshened up—Dad's making buckwheat pancakes."

This gets Aeric to brighten up. "With oat milk?"

"And coffee. It's the weekend, after all."

Gods, he's so grateful for his parents sometimes.

* * *

He reads his chapter for history while doing push ups and squats; tries to read for Lit during sit-ups and pull-ups on the bar in his doorway. Physics is where he actually focuses, continuing with the EDM-centric playlist that keeps him pumped. But he's good at Physics—he can calculate these equations without a problem and figure them all out in mere minutes (which is why he's in the advanced course, with all the seniors). Math is pretty much the same, too. Sure, Aeric is jiggling his leg, antsy the whole time and wondering why Ian hasn't returned his "Good morning, can't wait until tonight" text, but maybe if he puts his all into his work, he can let that fade away for now.

He drafts an essay that's not due until Friday on the history of the Southern Realm and looks at the time. Four. Perfect time to stop here for a swim and shower before the date.

And Ian has texted back, finally!

" _Sorry, I slept in and my phone died! I'm really excited for tonight, too!_ "

After finally taking in all of Aeric's hints, Ian sends back a blue heart at the end of his message—and it's all a good sign. He sends an assuring reply about being on time, and reties his hair up for his swim. The bun is insanely stupid, and the team makes fun of him for it, but it keeps his hair out of his face when things start getting vigorous.

He's pretty sure Ian thinks it's stupid, too.

He loses himself to his laps, doubling up to make up for not running this morning. He tries to think about what he's going to say to Ian, how he hopes he won't look like some meat headed idiot on their date. He tries _not_ to think about how much he wants to kiss Ian—especially because he's sure it'll be Ian's first and _he_ should be the one ready for it (cute as he is).

Halfway through, he takes a breather, reaching over the edge of the pool to grab his water chug some down. Mom rolls out with a protein shake in hand—always prepared, Aeric knows.

"I had a feeling you were saving the swim for last," she reasons, handing him the shake.

He doesn't know what it is, but she somehow always makes them taste good. Aeric brings the same ingredients for his rechargeable blender for school, and yet... they never taste the same. Maybe Mom has the magic touch, not just Ian. He downs half of it, raising a toast to her. "Thanks."

"You wanna push yourself the last few laps?" she offers. "I could hop in there."

Aeric shakes his head. She already does enough, waking up early on weekdays just to swim with him: his own personal trainer. Sure, as a mermaid she can swim laps ahead of him in her sleep, but he always feels like he's a burden in here. "I'm good, Mom," he assures. "You can just have it to yourself afterward."

After pushing the shake aside, he asks, "Is Dad still working out that contract?"

She rolls her eyes affectionately. "You know lawyers—work is never done on the weekends."

He nods. He hasn't told him about Ian yet—but now he's thinking he should wait and see if this goes anywhere before he does. Not that he isn't supportive; Aeric just has a harder time telling him about these things. His face is always so stoic, barely moving, always something on his mind.

He has his suspicions why Dad is looking at him more the way he does, but he hates thinking about it.

"Back to the grindstone," Aeric sighs.

"Alright, sweetie. Your phone buzzed a couple of times, and it's almost five," she warns. "You might want to start getting ready soon."

"Thanks, Mom!" he calls, but he dives back into it, pushing himself the last few laps. Aeric can focus on his breathing, his strokes, the perfect kick. The familiar ache in his arms lets him know he's making up for not running earlier, but he thinks about how this is all worth it. How getting through most of his homework and doubling up on swimming is all in preparation for his first date with Ian, which he's sure won't be _perfect_. If anything, though, _he's_ going to be the nervous one, hoping he says and does the right things. Ian is so smart, so observant and _pretty_ , even. He's one of the most special beings in the realms, and what pangs him is that Ian seems to be blissfully unaware of that fact.

Aeric dries off _just_ enough to not drip from the pool up to the shower. He finishes up his shake as he runs upstairs, vowing to remember to leave the cup down in the kitchen (but it's not the first time he's left it haphazardly in the house—his mom has been adamant about that). His tries to keep his shower thoughts positive, trying to think of when he should try to initiate handholding, or when it'll be a good time to ask for a kiss. He hasn't been to the Manticore's Tavern in _years_ , and he remembers Ian mentioning that it has just been rebuilt, like the school.

He wonders if they still have that fun Manticore mascot. Aeric probably has a picture with her buried somewhere in the mess of memories his mother keeps.

He shaves, and after he dries his hair, tries to use _just_ enough mousse to style it back to _look_ a little messy, even if he tries to get every wave in its perfect place. Luckily Thursday he was able to take care of his shaggy undercut, and even though he knows he _looks_ great, his heart is pounding in awful anticipation. So much can go right; so much can go _wrong_.

If he remains an optimist, he figures the best case scenario is that he walks out of this date with a potential boyfriend.

If Ian wants to see him again after tonight, he'll consider that an absolute win.

Aeric opts for a tasteful, olive green turtleneck and jeans. He cleans his glasses quickly, assessing himself in the mirror, and figures the finishing touch should be his varsity jacket.

Fine, he's hoping Ian gets cold enough to need it. Aeric may or may not have been picturing him swimming in it, just like how Tina swims in Gregor's but wears it with so much pride that she doesn't care. Speaking of... he checks his phone, and of course, her texts are the more abundant ones.

Crap, he never texted that he was skipping her party for this date.

He's sure she'll figure it out soon.

6:04. He should probably get going.

He spritzes himself with the same body spray he used the night before (he _definitely_ noticed Ian's subtle change in expression when they hugged, and he's hoping that'll help out with a few things tonight), then triple checks to make sure he has his wallet, phone, and keys before heading out. No goodbyes, no pleasantries. Mom knows where he's going and he usually doesn't tell Dad that he's with anyone until about the third date or hangout. Curfew is one; no drinking and driving (which is usually the deal when it comes to parties, which this isn't). Aeric texts Ian his ETA, and it looks like he's gonna be there a little early.

He has a gazillion playlists for nearly every mood and occasion, and yet here he is, spending a hot minute trying to find the _perfect_ one to use for the evening. His first date one is a little too upbeat, he thinks, but finally opts for his low key, _actually_ soft and romantic one. Fine, maybe he's really playing his hand here, but Ian's so much different than whoever he's seen before. Those guys are confident and just looking for a good time, but Ian is... special. He's something else. He's someone where, now that people actually _see_ him, he'll get a bunch of people interested.

He texts Ian when he arrives at his house and notices an absence of a very cool van from the driveway. Sure, Aeric could knock on the door, meet his mom now, but he doesn't want to impose, isn't sure if that's what Ian wants.

" _Cool. I'll be right out._ "

Every time he sees the little blue heart next to his texts, Aeric can feel himself automatically smiling.

Ian saunters out in his usual jeans, but he's wearing this gorgeous, deep purple button down instead of a usual flannel. He's even got his wizard staff in hand. It's enough to get Aeric out of the car to open the door for him.

"Wow, Ian, you look..." Aeric can't even find the words; there's his heart pounding in his ears again. He instead goes in for a quick hug, one Ian reciprocates one handed, but Aeric can feel him clench a bit of fabric on his varsity jacket for a moment.

"Um, thanks. You look really nice, too."

He'll take it. Aeric ushers Ian into the car, and as he drives off, GPS telling him exactly where to go, he realizes he has no idea what to talk about. Should he just ask about homework? What he did today? That all sounds boring.

He side eyes Ian for a moment. "So, I see you're bringing your staff. Plan on impressing me with magic tonight?"

"Huh?" Ian takes a moment to remember it's even with him. "Oh, yeah. Um... I told you the Manticore helped us out when, you know. My birthday and the visitation spell and all that. She likes to recreate what happened on the weekends with a little show and now with my brother working there..."

"Your brother works there?" Crap. The panic in his voice is pretty evident.

"Uh... you'll be fine. I'm sure he'll like you," Ian assures, though he doesn't sound very confident. "But yeah. I'm bringing the staff in case he pulls me up for a live demonstration."

He can do this. He can meet the older brother on their first date—only the single most important person in Ian's life. Aeric's hands tense a bit on the wheel. Maybe he can make it a little more lighthearted. "Pulling out all the stops, huh? Trying to impress me with magic? It'll probably work."

Ian chuckles. "Yeah, that's definitely the plan. I don't have much else going for me."

Aeric pouts. "Don't say that." He wants to reach over and ruffle Ian's hair, but they haven't gotten to that point yet. He doesn't know if Ian even likes little touches like that. Aeric, on the other hand, absolutely _adores_ physical affection. "There's more to you than you know."

Ian hums, but doesn't say anything. They fall into silence, and Aeric hopes he hasn't soured the mood.

But after a moment, Ian breaks the it. "Hey, isn't this Puddle of Mush?" he asks, pointing at the stereo.

Aeric turns the music up a little bit. "Yeah."

"They're my favorite band!" Ian exclaims, tapping his fingers against his knee. "Barley took me to see them a few years ago when they played over in Knolling Hills. It was my first concert."

"I only know this song," Aeric admits. But if this is Ian's favorite band, he might have to look into them more. He really likes this one, though—it's about how head over heels you can feel over someone, and how they make the rest of the realms melt away.

"That's okay," says Ian. "They're not for everyone."

The conversation is pretty easy after that—they talk about music for a bit (Ian's more into folk and alternative; Aeric likes heavy pop and EDM, because it keeps him on beat for reps and keeps his energy up), then school, and how they both have almost fallen asleep during History of the Realms. It's like on Tuesday, when they were able to get along so well.

Once they park at the Manticore's Tavern, Aeric notices that amazing van out of the corner of his eye; it sticks out with its amazing unicorn art on the side. Maybe Ian will let him see it up close before they go home.

The restaurant is lively as ever—families all over, celebrating birthdays. Sure, it's more for kids, but it's bringing back memories, of when Aeric was a kid and got invited to a celebration here what seemed like every weekend.

"Allie, hi!" Ian greets the cyclops hostess, decked out in the usual medieval garb all the employees have to wear.

"Ian!" She grins, picking up some menus. "I see you have a friend—table for two?"

A friend? Aeric will take it for now.

"Um... a date, actually." Ian flushes, but Aeric is grinning for him telling the truth. "Is Barley waiting tonight?"

"Sure is—want me to seat you in his area?"

"If there's room." He turns to Aeric, his expression unsure. "If that's okay with you?"

"That's fine." Sure, Aeric is nervous, but he might as well get that over with.

"For just two? You'll be fine. Follow me!" Is Allie always this chipper, or is it just part of the job? Looking up, Aeric can see just how much history has been preserved—how did he not notice any of this as a kid? They're close to a staged area, across from some dart boards where Pixies are (rather aggressively) throwing said darts with great fervor.

"Enjoy your quest!" she says, handing them menus.

Aeric drapes his jacket over the back of his chair and looks over everything. Very standard griffin sandwiches, burgers, mozzarella sticks... oh, if he eats any of this, his workout tomorrow is going to be _vigorous_. He wonders if he can go lettuce wrapped on anything. "Um... what do you recommend?" he asks, to be polite.

"Hm..." Ian takes a moment to think about it. "It'd be cool to split some mozzarella sticks, maybe potato skins?" Aeric's mental calculator goes off, and he wishes it would shut up. "I think I'm gonna get a milkshake and some griffin nuggets with fries."

Okay, that's no help—it's all the deep-fried, sugar filled crap he can't really have anymore, and he envies that it's probably Ian's usual diet, and yet he looks like _that_.

"Good evening, and may I welcome you both to the fearsome Manticore's Tavern," a voice booms. "I'm your knight for the evening, Barley, and it's my job to make sure your food arrives at a—Ian!"

"H-hey, Barley." Ian waves shyly up at his brother.

Where Ian is lithe, Barley is sturdy, with a wide smile and kind eyes that make him immediately trustworthy. Ian stutters, but Barley seems sure of every word he says, owning it all without any shame.

"And who do we have here?" Barley asks, gesturing at Aeric. "A brave knight to—wait, Ian, are you on a _date_?" Oh, his voice is very loud. Ian looks like he wants the ground to swallow him whole.

"Um... yes?" says Ian, unsure. "Aeric, this is my older brother, Barley."

Aeric holds out a polite hand; at least Barley seems friendly, so there isn't much to worry about. "Hey," he says, his own voice a little shaky. "Aeric Aldheim; nice to meet you, Barley."

"My little brother is on his first date!" Barley exclaims, taking Aeric's hand in a firm grip. "And a fine specimen to boot—a man on a team!" Is that a compliment? Aeric figures he's looking at the jacket. "But wait—I've seen you around the field before. I thought your name was 'Kelby'?"

Great. Aeric hates explaining it. "'Kelby' is my middle name, and it's what the team calls me, since there's another Erik."

"But he spells it differently!" Ian pipes up. "'Aeric' with an 'A.' And he likes when people call him that instead." Leave it to Ian to be absolutely adorable. He shoots Aeric an assuring, shy smile from across the table.

"Aeric Kelby Aldheim..." Barley murmurs, looking off for a second. "Your initials are _actually_ AKA?"

Damn. His other least favorite thing about his name. "Yes..." he replies slowly.

And suddenly Barley is leaning in, almost too close for comfort. His expression goes dark, when it was once friendly a moment ago. "AKA _what_ ," he asks, but it sounds more like a demand. Like he suspects something.

"Barley!" he hears Ian shout from across the table, possibly mortified.

"Um..." Aeric isn't sure how to answer that, and holds his hands up. "They're just my initials."

Barley squints his eyes, staring Aeric down for a moment before backing away. So much for making a good impression. "I'll know if you're known as _anything_ else," he warns. But then he's back to his jolly self in just a moment. "So, what can I get you both to drink?"

* * *

Ian orders the mozzarella sticks before Aeric can politely decline, and he allows himself one that he eats slowly. He's also slurping down his milkshake like there's a treasure map hidden inside, and Aeric wonders how he doesn't have brain freeze. He sips his iced tea.

"You, uh... really like milkshakes, don't you?" he asks.

"They're really easy to make at home," Ian points out. "I dunno, it's like ice cream that doesn't get all over your hands."

That makes Aeric laugh; he's never thought of them like that before. "I wouldn't really know," he replies. "My blender at home is usually reserved for protein shakes."

Ian makes a face. "My mom makes those for after her old aerobics workouts. I tried one once—how do you even _like_ them?"

Aeric shrugs. "You get used to them after a while, I guess. I dunno what my mom does, but she always makes them taste great. I can't get the same results with the blender I bring to school."

Ian almost chokes on his sip. "I'm sorry—your _what_?"

"Oh." The rest of the team thinks it's a little weird, too. "I have this little rechargeable blender I bring for practice. Keep all the ingredients in my bag?" Saying it out loud gets him a little embarrassed.

"That's kind of weird!" Ian laughs, but hopefully it's not... bad? It doesn't sound bad. "I... kind of like that. You just seem so... perfect."

"I'm _so_ not perfect." Aeric points at his eyes. "I wear glasses, after all."

"Nah." Ian shakes his head. "That somehow makes you more perfect because they make your eyes look bigger. I mean, purple is already a really rare eye color for us."

"Yeah, I know." It's why he kind of resents them—even his dad has brown eyes.

He's frowning and he's only aware of it now because Ian's smile disappears. Before he can say anything, though, Barley brings over their food.

"Griffin strips with well done fries and ranch, side of mac and cheese for Sir Iandore." How. How is this Ian's diet.

"Double patty, lettuce-wrapped burger with fruit and large side salad for Sir Aeric." Well, Barley is smiling. Hopefully he's gotten over his initials that he has no control over. "Enjoy your quest! And Ian, are we doing the—"

Ian is about to shovel down his fries when he looks up at Barley, then at Aeric for a moment. "Um... maybe?" he asks.

Barley leans over and murmurs something in his brother's ear. Ian groans, rolling his eyes. "Okay, fine— _fine_! But wait until I'm done eating!"

"All right." Barley holds his hands up. "I'll come by to check up on you kids in a bit."

"What was that?" Aeric asks, after taking a bite of salad. In hindsight, he should have asked for the dressing on the side; this is kind of drenched.

"Oh..." Ian waves a dismissive hand. "Don't worry about that for now."

"Okay." Aeric shrugs. He points his chin at the staff. "It's for something magical, I hope?"

"You'll see—" Ian winks, and Aeric is really grateful he's sitting. He recalls their conversation from the car. Something about a live demonstration?

"If you keep doing that, I'm going to faint by the end of our date," he warns.

"R-really?" Ian tries to hide his smile behind a huge bite of a griffin strip. "You don't mean that..."

"Of course I do." There are these twinges of confidence Aeric sees in Ian that he wants to bring out more. "Come on, Ian. What's it gonna take for you to realize that we're on this date because I _like_ you?" Maybe he has to keep reiterating it.

"I dunno..." Ian picks at his mac and cheese for a bit. "It seems surreal, still. I mean, you're sitting right across from me, and you look amazing, and I kind of can't believe it." He laughs nervously.

Aeric holds out his free hand. "Pretty sure I'm real and sitting across from you."

Ian looks down at his hand for a moment, unsure. But he reaches up, gently taking it across the table. And yeah, Ian's hand is a little sweaty from being nervous, but Aeric squeezes it assuringly, silently telling him that this is more than fine. This is what he wants. Maybe more. Whatever he's comfortable with.

He watches Ian exhale. "Sorry... I guess I'm just nervous."

"You're doing fine. More than fine, honestly—I'm having a great time."

"Really?" Ian's ears perk up, and because they're kind of big for his face, it's completely adorable. "You don't think the setting is too childish?"

Aeric looks around at the Manticore mascot, the shields and weapons and old art lining the walls. The kids having fun in all corners of the restaurant and the low hum of enjoyment surrounding them. "Nah. It's perfect."

It's like the moment Ian is done eating Barley takes the stage with his booming voice: presenting a show with everyone's dinner, complete with magic. Ian shoots Aeric a shy smile, and waves before he steps aside with his brother... and the Manticore herself, who looks large, fearsome... but also rather sweet.

Sure, he's heard the story already from Ian about his sixteenth birthday, and how he and Barley brought back their father (or rather, his legs) for twenty four hours. But this time Aeric has the pleasure of hearing Barley's booming, theatrical voice that has all eyes in the tavern on him. It's even cooler when the Manticore starts flying above their heads with her giant Curse Crusher sword, and she's getting as into the action as Barley is describing it.

The highlight for everyone, though, is Ian with his wizard staff. Aeric has never seen magic in his life, and yet, just as Ian thinks this date is so surreal, Aeric can hardly believe he's _lifting_ his brother off the ground. He leans forward in his seat, jaw probably on the floor. There's that confident Ian again, performing for the crowd as he yells out a spell that makes a salt shaker huge. And then another one where he's _walking above their heads_.

Aeric's favorite is easily where Ian can summon fireworks, big and colorful, which shoot up toward the high ceiling of the tavern, and everyone applauds. He's the first one standing and cheering wildly, the rest of the crowd following suit. It's like a game—no. It's _better_ than a game. This has Aeric's heart pounding like no other, and as Ian makes eye contact with him, he thinks, _I'm so lucky—I can't believe I'm on a date with this amazing elf_. When Ian opens up like this, his eyes are huge and expressive, his smile crooked and full of personality. With his wide stance, he looks even bigger than Aeric.

He's so _enchanted_ by this one amazing guy.

When Ian takes his seat across from Aeric, though, he's back to being shy. "I know... that was kind of cheesy."

"No, don't downplay it!" Aeric is still so in awe from the whole thing. "I've never seen magic done before—it's just one of those things you hear about in history and kind of forget. But that was... I can't even—" He has no idea what do say; he's probably grinning like an idiot. "You're something else. I can't believe I'm lucky enough to to be on a _date_ with you."

Ian opens his mouth to immediately deny it, but stops himself. "Thanks," he says, and as he sits down, a couple of kids come by to compliment him.

"That's so cool!" says the little faun boy. "You have a real wizard staff."

"I want to be just like you and do magic when I grow up!" the little elf girl exclaims, and then they look over at Aeric. "Is he your boyfriend?"

Aeric laughs, but not uncomfortably. It's cute that they're assuming it already, even though it's just their first date. "I don't know—you'll have to ask Ian in a few weeks," he teases.

An adult voice beckons the kids back. Ian says his goodbyes and Aeric is still kind of in a fit of giggles.

"What?" Ian sets his staff aside, but he's smiling, too.

"Nothing." Aeric pushes his empty dishes aside, so he can reach over and take Ian's hands in his own again. "I'm just blown away—I have to make sure _you're_ real."

"Hush—now _you're_ being corny!" Ian laughs, but he squeezes Aeric's hands back. "And _maybe_ I was showing off a bit to impress you. Did it work?"

"Obviously." They're still holding hands, after all. "I'm completely entranced."

Their hands drop when Ian notices the Manticore walking over to their table. "Ian! That was excellent, as per usual. And... oh, who is this tall drink of water?" She eyes Aeric up and down.

"I'm Aeric," he says, holding out his hand for her to shake. But she hugs him instead, and even though he's almost two hundred pounds, she's totally got him dominated.

"Nice to meet you, sweetie—I hope everything was exciting?"

"Completely." Aeric grins over at Ian. "The show was wonderful, Miss Manticore. I haven't had this much fun in a while."

"Oh, honey, call me 'Corey.'" She waves a dismissive paw. "Now tell me, are you on a _date_ with our Ian over here?"

Ian sinks down in his seat, embarrassed and pink all over again. "Corey..." he warns lowly.

"I am," Aeric admits, nodding.

Corey's eyes widen. " _Oh_?" she asks. "Well, that means you'll probably be by again, soon. We _are_ known for a good time, after all!"

"Yeah, I know," says Aeric, laughing in return. He reaches back for his wallet. "I can take care of the check if—"

"Oh, no." Corey waves a paw again. "Ian was my entertainment tonight. Your dinner is on me."

" _Corey_!" Ian cries, horrified. "My mom doesn't like when you do that! Barley said you only offered to take Aeric's food off!"

" _So_? What she doesn't know won't hurt her. You kids enjoy the rest of your night, now, you hear? Nice to meet you, Aeric!" She's off before either he or Ian can protest.

"I didn't know Manticores were so... hospitable," is all he can say.

Ian sighs. "I might have been a little mean to her in the beginning? I mean, you saw—I kind of yelled her back into burning down her first tavern."

Aeric grabs his jacket and stands, but doesn't put it on just yet. "Yeah—I think you let her have it. But it's really cool that you're friends with her." When Ian's back is turned to grab his staff, he leaves a nice, hefty tip for Barley, because the service was great (and maybe he's still a little intimidated).

"Oh! I said I would show you Guinevere." Ian grabs his hand and waves goodbye to the kids from earlier. It's funny—from the outside the Manticore's Tavern looks a little intimidating, especially smack dab in the middle of these woods.

But once they're outside, he watches Ian shiver at the sudden change in temperature, and Aeric smirks. "Cold?" he asks.

"Um... just a little; I'll be fine," Ian assures.

"Here." Because before Ian can say anything, Aeric slips his varsity jacket over his shoulders. "You look like the wind can just pick you up and carry you away." It's four sizes too big and skirts halfway down Ian's thighs, but it looks so good on him—and he has to admit, he's been thinking about seeing him wear it for the past few days.

"I have a fast metabolism." Ian flushes, and he takes Aeric's hand again. "But thanks. This is really warm."

Guinevere sticks out like a sore thumb amongst the plethora of sedans, almost shining in the moonlight. "This is her!" Ian presents, and Aeric is enthralled, going over her gorgeous, navy and purple shine. "Well, Guinevere 2.0. You know what happened to the first one..."

What was described, anyway. Barley mentioned something about giving her a swan song as she rode to Valhalla, his pride and glory flying into the rock heavens—something like that. "She's gorgeous," he compliments. From inside he can see Barley has a whole setup in the back, like she can be taken up to go camping. "I can't believe you get to drive something this cool."

"Sometimes." Ian shrugs. "When Barley doesn't really have anywhere to be. I won't be able to take the driving test until right before summer."

For now, Aeric definitely doesn't mind being Ian's ride. If things are going as well, that is. But he's getting a good vibe. He runs his hand over the unicorn painted on the side, and notices the tiny Ian and Barley painted atop her. "This is so neat! Who did the paint job?"

Ian raises his staff shyly. "Uh... I did."

"What?" If Aeric was grinning before, somehow, it's even bigger. He gives Ian's hand a gentle squeeze. "Okay, forget what I said before. You're not just incredible; you're one of the most amazing elves I've ever met."

This time, Ian just chuckles in return, instead of trying to deny it. It's shy, sure, but it's a step in the right direction. The fire lamps from the tavern bathe them in this warm glow, and the moon is bright enough so Aeric can still see everything so clearly. After a moment, Ian stills, then steps closer. "Um, Aeric?" His voice drops, and Aeric notices the flush spread across his face to the tips of his ears.

"Yeah?" The tension rises. Aeric steps in a little more so they're almost pressed flush.

"Can I... can I kiss you?" Ian's voice is a shy murmur, like it's taken all his courage for him to build up to this one moment.

Aeric is already leaning in. "I'd love it if you did," he says.

But just before their lips meet, Ian's forehead smacks right into Aeric's. "Ough." Aeric rubs the affected spot for the moment.

"Oh, Sh-Shantar's Talon!" Ian almost jumps back, completely embarrassed. "I really didn't mean to—I'm sorry!" He can tell Ian's about to go into some tirade about how clumsy he is or something.

"It's okay, really!" Aeric assures quickly. "I'm used to worse!" Being on the team will do that to anyone.

"If you don't want to now, I mean... I get it—"

" _Ian_ ," Aeric says sternly, because he's sure that's the only thing that's going to shut him up. Luckily it does. "It's _okay_." He reaches up his free hand to cup his cheek gently, then leans in again. "You've just gotta tilt your head a little more."

Their lips meet, and the realms melt away. Aeric's had his share of first kisses, sure, but this one has the power to transcend all of them, because it's not heady and desperate; it's soft and gentle and all the things he's wanted in a first kiss that really make him feel like he's floating. It's the fireworks Ian can conjure with his staff, colorful and magical.

When he pulls away, Ian's wearing the dorkiest smile, his eyes half-lidded. At least, he thinks it is. His glasses are a little fogged. "You good?" he asks, and Ian just nods, leaning into the hand on his cheek.

"Can I kiss you again?" There are those eyes, huge and brown and pleading, and after their first kiss, Aeric isn't going to say no.

"Hell yes," says Aeric breathlessly, and somehow their second kiss is even better than their first, with Ian's lips just a little more sure of what they're doing.

This may be their first date, but Aeric knows now it definitely won't be their last.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We have liftoff! A longer chapter, but only because we need to get to the cute stuff.
> 
> My touch-starved ass needs the fluff more than anything right now.
> 
> Kudos and comments are definitely appreciated during this time! I hope you're liking Aeric!


	4. First Study Session

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ian goes over to Aeric's house for the first time, and struggles with labels.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, here we are with another longer chapter. But I had fun with this one, especially with all the couple-y things they're starting to do now! Hope you enjoy!

**_First Study Session_ **

_"I don't know where this is going—_

_Every time we touch, it's gold."_

**—"Lay With Me" Phantoms feat. Vanessa Hudgens**

**Ian**

They're inseparable after their first date.

On top of all the flirty texts, Aeric starts holding his hand while they walk to class, and kisses his cheek when they part. He even starts sitting with Ian at the fountain with his other friends, as opposed to asking Ian to sit with the team by the bleachers. Tina joins them a few times, and she surprisingly gets along with all of them—even though Sadalia is on her squad and Gurge plays with Aeric on the team.

It just feels _right_ , holding his hand, or leaning against his shoulder when they sit together. Each time they kiss after that (admittedly disastrous) first attempt only gets _better_. Ian likes putting his hand on that strong jawline and pulling him in. He likes when they've been kissing so much Aeric's glasses start fogging up and he has to take them off so they can keep going.

They haven't labeled themselves yet, but suddenly Ian gets bombarded by kids he's never even talked to asking about Aeric. What it's like to hold his hand, or wear his varsity jacket. Whether or not he's a good kisser. He's never been so... noticed before, and he hasn't decided if he likes it or not.

But he definitely likes Aeric. A lot.

Ian's monthly chess club meeting lets out the same time as Aeric's practice on Mondays, and Aeric drives him home. He doesn't even make fun of the fact that Ian's in Chess Club—on the contrary, he laments that he wishes he could join a club for academics, especially Physics. On Tuesdays they study together at Sirens for a few hours, and Aeric teaches him a little bit about coffee at the same time. If there's a home game on Fridays, Ian sticks around school to watch, and Aeric lends him his varsity jacket to wear so he can get more into the school spirit. Aeric calls him his "good luck charm," which has the entire cheer squad "aww"ing. Tina even jokes that Ian's joined a fictional "Boyfriend Jacket Club."

But much as Ian makes time for Aeric, Aeric just has this way of making Ian feel... special. Wanted. He's always asking about the new spells he's casting, how his family is doing, how much he wishes he had a pet dragon. He always says little things about how he feels lucky to be with him—even though every time Ian sees Aeric, he can't believe _this_ guy wants to kiss him. Wants to hold his hand and spend time with him and ask about his life. But Aeric won't even _look_ at anyone else, the way he looks at him. And there are a lot of really good looking guys around campus that Ian strangely hasn't noticed until now.

Aeric is muscled and chiseled and has those gorgeous eyes. He's almost _too_ pretty to look at, with his clear blue skin and how his teeth are all straight and not crooked like his and his ears are proportional to his head, and not huge. Ian even likes the little bun he wears during games—it's honestly kind of cute.

"How rare is it for elves to have purple eyes?" he asks at the dinner table one night.

"Is this about... _AKA_." Barley's been referring to Aeric as that, still suspicious about his initials.

"Maybe," says Ian lowly, poking at his bowl of pasta.

"Oh, that boy you've been seeing?" Mom asks, catching on. Ian's mentioned that they've been hanging out, but he hasn't been able to tell his mom and Barley that anything more than hand holding has occurred. "He has purple eyes?"

"Yeah." Usually he loves Mom's pasta, but he's not feeling that hungry tonight. He hasn't gone for seconds yet. "I've never seen another elf with them."

"Your dad was kind of interested in that," Mom points out. "Purple was his favorite color."

"I know," says Ian. "That's... kind of why I asked." He imagines Dad would probably like Aeric just based on that fact alone. He might even ask about it, if they ever met.

"I know it's a recessive trait," she says. "I think your dad said about one in... fifty thousand elves has it? Usually it's passed through the mom."

One elf in fifty thousand. And Ian gets to kiss one of them almost every day.

He wonders why Aeric doesn't like his. He hasn't brought it up since the Manticore's Tavern, but he's a little curious—if he had a weird, rare trait like that, he'd be okay with sharing it. Kind of like how he's okay with everyone knowing he can do magic.

But he doesn't ask Aeric. He just keeps holding his hand at school and looking into them like they hold all the secrets of life.

"I didn't know you were gay," Gorgamon says one morning when he and Aeric part before homeroom. His hand is in Aeric's, and Aeric's other hand has his daily latte.

"Um..." Ian's never really thought about it. Is he gay? He's found a few girls kind of attractive, like Sadalia. "I just like Aeric."

Of course, that puts him in a spin for the whole day. People asking if he and Aeric are a couple. If he's gay, like Aeric, and this is his way of letting them know.

It gets so bad that he texts Aeric, far later than the ten (since he has to get up so early every morning, it's his way of trying to be considerate, but Aeric assures him he'll answer no matter what time).

" _Am I gay_?"

The response is pretty immediate. " _I wouldn't know that_. _Why are you asking?_ "

Ian turns in bed. Now that he's typed it out, it sounds kind of stupid. " _Dunno. It just kind of something that's been bothering me_."

" _That's okay_." Aeric sends him a virtual hug sticker. " _Some know their sexuality right off the bat. Some take years to figure it out completely_."

That makes sense. The thing about Aeric, though, is that _everyone_ knows he's gay. He's _never_ been unsure about what attracts him, ever since freshman year. Maybe before that, but Ian doesn't remember.

Aeric texts him again: " _The only thing that matters is if you like me_. _Whatever anyone else wants to say to make you decide now... they can be tuned out, because they just like labels_."

That always makes him smile. And that answer is a lot more assuring. He always wonders how _he_ makes Aeric feel insecure, when Aeric is the prettiest elf he's ever seen.

" _I like you a lot_." He punctuates it with a blue heart. No one's ever made his heart flutter the way Aeric has, or made him think about anyone romantically.

" _Then it doesn't matter what anyone assumes. It's just whatever you feel_."

Ian wishes it can be that easy. Maybe Aeric is just more jaded because he's had years of dealing with people prying in fascination, and this is all new to him.

" _I guess I still have to think about it. But I might ask about it again._ "

" _I get it. Sexuality is weird and fluid and crazy and like I said, takes a while to figure out_. _But maybe at a more reasonable time_?"

Right. Aeric is losing sleep by the minute with all his worrying.

" _Oh yeah, sorry_. _I'll let you try to sleep now_."

Instead of a goodnight text, Aeric sends this instead:

" _You're fine. Hey, do you wanna come over Sunday afternoon and study at my place_?"

If Ian was anxious before, he's even more anxious now. Aeric's house? That means he's probably going to _meet his parents_. But he also wants to see his place. See how he lives. He wonders if everything in Aeric's room smells the way he does: clean, but a little musky and completely irresistible, like fresh mown grass and the ocean. And Aeric is a good study partner, even though he has a hard time keeping still. He's insanely smart, but he thinks he's not good at Lit or History (he's good—he just isn't Sadalia, but then again, _no one_ is).

He realizes Aeric probably won't sleep until he gets an answer, so Ian has to go with his gut on this one.

" _Sure, sounds great_ ," he types and sends before he can think about it.

" _Awesome_!" Aeric sends multiple hearts, as he always does. " _Can't wait. But now I gotta hit the hay—good night, cutie_." More hearts.

Ian is up for a few more hours worrying, only eventually falling asleep from exhaustion.

Aeric buys coffee for Ian the next morning.

He buries it in sugar and cream to make it more tolerable.

* * *

Ian walks to Aeric's house on Sunday.

It's a gorgeous day, and one thing he's realized is that, honestly, they don't live too far from each other. He just grabs his backpack, lets Mom knows where he's going (and the good thing about Colt is that Mom feels a little safer with them going out), and texts Barley to ask if he can be picked up on the way home from work. He texts Aeric that he's on his way, but doesn't get an answer.

The walk eases him a bit with his nerves. With his earbuds in, he opts for a more positive playlist, even waving at a few people out and about. He even sees a gorgeous monarch butterfly land on someone's fence, and Ian snaps a quick picture for his "Bugs" folder (he'll draw a study later). Is it cheesy to think of that as some sign that maybe he's being nervous for no reason?

But then he's at Aeric's door. And now he's sweating. Sure, Ian can say it's from the walk, but that's a blatant lie to himself. He wipes his hands on his jeans and rings the doorbell before he can talk himself out of it. Aeric will probably answer the door, anyway.

Aeric does not answer the door.

Instead, she's a mermaid in her own personal water tank chair, messy auburn hair pulled back into a bun. She breaks into a grin the moment she sees him. "You must be Ian," she says, moving her chair back to let him in. "I'm Adella, Aeric's mom. But please, call me Della."

Mom? Is he... half mermaid? "Oh... nice to meet you." Ian toes off his sneakers in the foyer and follows her into the kitchen.

"Aeric is finishing up a swim, even though I _told_ him you'd probably be over sooner rather than later. My son's not a very great time keeper." She rolls her eyes affectionately, pouring some concoction out of a blender into a glass. "But can I get you something to drink in the meantime? Water? The rest of this... shake?"

Ian chuckles, trying to lighten the mood. "Um... water, please, if you don't mind." His eyes dart all over the place. It's built more conventionally for elves—not a lot of mermaid accommodations. There's a huge fish tank in the corner, filled with all these exotic fish Ian's never seen before. The whole place is... symmetrical. Clean. There's no glass out of place, all music is labeled alphabetically. It's not like his house, with Barley's Quests of Yore figurines everywhere, Mom's exercise equipment haphazardly in the corner of the living room. He notices there aren't a lot of baby pictures of Aeric—one with his dad. Pretty much everything seems to start from when Aeric is about five or six—and he already has his round glasses, though as a kid they look almost too big for his face.

Della hands him the water. " Go ahead and take your backpack off!" she chuckles, already reaching up to take it off his shoulders before he can say anything. "Make yourself comfortable."

"O-oh, thanks." Ian takes a seat at the dining room table and looks out into the backyard. He can see something moving in the water. "He really likes swimming?"

"Eh, I think he only took it up because it's really the only place he can see me out of the tank." Della gestures to her (admittedly confining) chair. "My kid is more of a runner."

"Hey, Dell, you haven't seen that contract I've been lugging around all week, have you?" An elf with square glasses and a mustache walks into the kitchen, rummaging around the fridge. Ian can only assume this is Aeric's dad. He can kind of see that they have pretty similar noses.

"You mean the contract you've been practically sleeping with? No, I haven't. It's probably buried in your office somewhere. But we have a guest, Fiske," Della points out.

"Oh!" He turns, noticing Ian at the table. "Ian, right? You're the kid my boy's been crazy about. Fiske Aldheim."

"N-nice to meet you." Ian gives a polite wave. The Aldheims seem nice, pretty open, actually. It's easing his nerves just a bit.

"Sorry—I'd stay and chat, but I'm still catching up with some work." Fiske chuckles. "But will you be joining us for dinner, Ian?"

"Um... probably not," says Ian. "My brother is picking me up after work. I'm just here to study with Aeric."

"Oh! Well, good for you kids. If you need anything, just give a holler." Fiske holes himself back up in what Ian presumes is his office.

There's a splash from outside, and Ian flushes. It's like something out of a movie: Aeric emerging from the water. Maybe in his mind it's in slow motion as he towels himself down, but he can't stop staring—his shoulders are so _broad_ , and those _abs_... His hair is back in the bun, even messier than usual.

Luckily Della is too busy grabbing Aeric's shake to notice how much Ian is staring. _This guy_ is the guy that wants to kiss him. He's still not over it.

The towel is draped around Aeric's shoulders as he comes inside the house. Della hands him his shake. "Hey, Mister Timekeeper. Ian is already here, you know," she chastises playfully.

"Oh, Shantar's Talon—I must have lost track of time." He walks over to Ian, bending over to kiss his cheek in greeting. His mom is okay with this, Ian hopes. "Hey—sorry about that! How are you?"

"'M good," Ian murmurs. His eyes are glued to Aeric's throat as he downs about half the shake in one go. "Just... hanging."

"I see you've met my mom." Aeric grins. "Well, stepmom. But I call her 'Mom.'" Is he rambling? Is he nervous, too? Ian can't tell, because he's gone back to drinking the rest of his shake. But at least Ian doesn't have to wonder if this already perfect guy is also half mermaid.

"Ah, yes, we've been getting along swimmingly." Della chuckles at her own joke. "You kids gonna study down here?"

"Uh, actually, Mom, I was thinking about in my room?" Aeric looks over at his mother, almost hopefully.

Della waves a hand. "Honey, that's fine. I think I'm actually going to take advantage of the empty pool."

"Great." Aeric also takes Ian's empty glass and walks to the sink, washing out the cups. Honestly, even Ian has problems sometimes remembering to do the dishes, yet Aeric is already drying them and putting them back without a reminder. He kisses Della's cheek. "Love you."

"Love you, too, kid." She nudges Aeric's shoulder playfully.

"Come on, Ian." Ian grabs his backpack, following Aeric upstairs. There's a specialized ramp to presumably help Della come up, if she needs to. But Ian climbs slowly, taking note of a few pictures. Aeric _really_ loves his mom—there isn't another woman in any of the pictures. Ian wonders if Aeric's like him, if his mom died before he could get to know her. But Ian hasn't seen any pictures of any other elves.

Aeric's room is just as clean as the others, just with more exercise equipment. Pull up bar at the doorframe, weights, fan, and exercise mat in the corner. His sheets are a plain navy, and there's a bookcase that's mostly filled with sports trophies. Just as Ian imagined, the whole room smells like him.

"Sorry—I still gotta shower," Aeric points out, grabbing his glasses from his desk. "I really did lose track of time."

"It's okay," Ian assures, setting his backpack beside Aeric's bed. "I guess I can... set up? Where should I sit?"

"You can take the desk if you want," says Aeric, going to his closet. Even that is completely organized, shoes lining the floor neatly. He grabs what he's going to wear, then kisses Ian quickly. "I'll be real quick, I promise! Just make yourself at home."

It's a little weird, but Ian nods, and just tries to distract himself with Aeric's room, and not the fact that he's... showering. It doesn't help that he can hear the water rushing from the bathroom.

Thankfully Aeric isn't around to see him flush.

Ian pulls out their reading for Lit and his notebooks. He needs a little help answering the analytical questions, and Aeric mentioned he's having a little a trouble with some calculus homework. But he soon gets distracted by all the trophies, starting in middle school for their junior team (which Ian had honestly forgotten about). Pictures of Aeric as a kid with braces, holding up his trophies. A lot of pictures of Aeric and Della hugging, all through the years. Aeric in high school with this... really attractive, sporty cyclops boasting a sports camp. "Favorite CITs 2019," it boasts. They look pretty close—maybe he's an ex?

Ian looks down at himself, and wonders how Aeric likes his 5'8", skinny as a beanpole frame. But he clearly does.

He sees that Aeric also attended last year's Main Street Music Festival with the pass hanging off his dresser. All his accomplishments are in sports—except one ribbon at the top, that declares he won first place in a science fair, way back in middle school. The pictures next to it show Aeric doing a whole study on the effect of different throwing techniques for different species. _Wow_.

Like Ian, he also has a cork board next to his desk so he can hang reminders, like what homework is due, and a few more pictures. Again, mostly of his mom, but there's some pictures of... is that Tina? They've been friends since middle school, it looks like.

The most interesting one is a family portrait of Aeric as a baby, his dad... and his birth mom's face is ripped off—what looks like deliberately. Does Aeric just not know what she looked like?

Or did something else happen? Maybe she didn't die, but... she left? How awful, if that's the case.

Ian walks over to the window, opening it up for some fresh air. Aeric's room actually has a really great view of the New Mushroomton water tower. On the windowsill, there's a jewel beetle—a really common one to this area, but Ian still smiles, beckoning it into his hand so he can get a closer look.

"Hey, little guy," he murmurs, letting it crawl all over his hand. He's probably done a hundred studies on jewel beetles, but they never cease to amaze him. "It's a really nice day out, isn't it?"

Maybe he's always had an easier time talking to bugs because they're smaller. They won't talk back or reject him. They're also so fascinating—all so individual and different, and there's always something to learn about them.

"All right, sorry about that." Aeric walks back in, still drying his hair with a towel. He's changed into a t-shirt and sweat shorts. "I see you've set— _what the hell is that_."

Aeric jumps back about ten feet, when it looked like he was probably coming in for a hug or a kiss.

Ian just holds up his hand. "Oh. There was a jewel beetle at your window. I just thought I'd say hi." Is that weird? Does Aeric not like him now because of this one thing?

"So... you like bugs," he says slowly, taking a cautious step forward.

"Well, yeah." He moves the beetle onto his other hand. "They're really interesting, and they all have different purposes in nature. This little guy has a colorful metallic shell so it wards off potential predators, for example."

Aeric tilts his head. He's... open to it. Ian was always the weird kid who protected the bugs in elementary school, and he guesses that's not really something to brag about. "Huh," he says.

"What?" This guy is getting a little restless, so Ian releases him back onto the sill so he can crawl down the house.

With the bug gone, Aeric walks up and cups his jaw gently. "You never cease to amaze me," he says, and Ian thinks his knees might give out when Aeric leans down for a kiss.

"Y-yeah, well..." Ian chuckles nervously when they part. "People think it's kind of weird, so..."

"I mean, it's not a _conventional_ interest, but it clearly makes you happy, so who am I to judge?" He's so... sincere. How is it Ian's never noticed this guy much until now?

"Thanks for understanding," he says. "I, uh... think I'm gonna go wash my hands, before we get started."

"Oh." Aeric steps back, blinking. "Yeah, good idea. Just next door, on the left."

"Thanks!" Ian ducks under Aeric's arm. He's still grinning at the fact that he's okay with his interests, and he can still see it in the mirror.

* * *

Studying with Aeric at home is definitely different than at Sirens. He takes the desk while Ian insists he can study on the bed, laying on his stomach. Aeric's concentration seems to come entirely from how much his leg jiggles in his seat—he's not a guy who can stay still for very long.

"Usually I'm doing push ups or working out or something while I read," he confesses as they're answering history clarification questions together. "This is kind of different."

Ian kind of wants to see that sometime, but doesn't ask. Apparently he was finishing a workout when he arrived. "I guess whatever helps you concentrate on the work."

Aeric sighs. "I wish I could be still like you—just laying on the bed, breaking it all down into lists."

Ian always figured others thought his lists were kind of strange, but it's how he organizes his thoughts. "Do you have ADHD?" he asks. "I'm not trying to be insensitive, but I'm just asking—"

"I think I do, or at least something mild relating to it." Aeric shrugs. "I was never actually diagnosed, but my dad points out that I couldn't keep still on even really simple tasks and had a lot of energy. My mom, when she came in the picture... she was really patient. She helped me channel all that energy into swimming, and then when she saw I was a better runner, and even _better_ catching and throwing a ball... it just clicked. She helped give me an outlet. And now I just... know what works for me."

The way he speaks so highly of Della... she's like this angel that swooped in and really helped him out. Ian points at himself with his pen. "Well... I'm on the spectrum," he confesses. "Actually diagnosed. But high-functioning."

Instead of looking at him any differently, there's those violet eyes, regarding him like he's the only one in the realms. Aeric pushes up his glasses and rolls over to the bed and leans over to kiss him again. How is he supposed to concentrate on work now?

"Thank you for telling me," he says lowly. "I know we haven't labeled ourselves yet—I've been waiting until we felt a little more comfortable with each other."

"Oh?" Ian's heart is pounding; can Aeric hear it from here? Maybe he should say it first. "Do you... want to be boyfriends?" he asks.

Aeric grins, pulling Ian in for another kiss. "Only if you want to!" He's really trying to contain his excitement, Ian can tell.

Ian tries to think about it for a moment. He can finally answer the question, for one thing. Aeric is his boyfriend. He's Aeric's boyfriend. It _does_ sound really nice and concrete, and it makes Ian realize that Aeric is in this for the long haul. He really _wants_ them to be together.

"Let's be boyfriends!" he declares, and this time, he's the one to kiss Aeric.

It's a wonder they even get their homework done, but they do. Aeric finally pulls away and says that if any more kissing is to occur, they have to finish their history questions and look over each other's essays for Lit.

Luckily, they have some time to kill, and with Barley still at work for a little bit longer, they just sit, and talk, and get to know each other... but there's kissing. A lot of kissing. It's to the point where Ian is practically on Aeric's lap so they can be level in height with each other. He's never felt so comfortable with anyone, to where touching him feels natural, and the hands on his waist don't make him want to back away.

"I saw your science fair ribbon," Ian points out, giggling when he notices Aeric's glasses are fogging up again.

"Oh did you?" Aeric pulls away just so things can get back to normal with his vision for a moment. "I'm actually really proud of that one—probably more than all the sports trophies."

"You're such a nerd," Ian teases. "My boyfriend is a giant physics nerd." Gods, that feels nice to say.

"And _my_ boyfriend is a math nerd who adores bugs," Aeric shoots right back, nuzzling their noses. Sure, it's cheesy, but Ian giggles because when Aeric does it it's kind of cute. "I see you're also a snoop. What other little secrets are you figuring out?"

Ian's eyes dart quickly to the cork board, and he remembers the weird picture. He wonders if it's okay to bring up. "Um, actually..." he starts. "There's this one picture of you as a baby that you have..."

Aeric's smile immediately disappears. Ian realizes he's stepped on a nerve there. "Oh," he says. "I guess I'll explain it quickly, but Ian—can you promise me you'll _never_ ask me about it again afterward?"

Ian gives a slow nod, kind of unsure. "Yeah, I guess."

Sighing, Aeric explains, "My parents had me pretty young, like right out of college. They both really wanted to go to law school, but with everything going on only my dad was able to apply—he had to work two jobs on top of it while trying to take care of us. And... I dunno, I don't know much. They weren't married. My birth mom had me and I guess the stress was too much so she just... left. It was just me and my dad until Della showed up when I was six."

Abandoned. No wonder there were no pictures of her anywhere. "I'm really sorry," Ian says lowly, bringing a hand up to Aeric's face.

"Della is my real mom, Ian. I hope you can get that. She didn't have me, but she took care of me, anyway."

"Okay." His voice is barely above a murmur. He takes a deep breath, then adds, "Can I ask you _one_ thing, though?"

"I guess." Aeric shrugs. "But that's it."

"Did she have purple eyes like you?"

Ian watches Aeric swallow thickly. It's really the only thing Ian wants to know immediately, even though there are a thousand other questions he wishes he can ask. But it's such a sore subject, and just a moment ago they were teasing each other about being nerds and boyfriends.

"Yeah," Aeric confesses. "She did. Does. Whatever. Can we drop it now, please?"

"Okay." Ian pulls him into a hug, and he always likes these, because Aeric can rest his cheek nicely on top of his hair. "Sorry I dredged that up."

Aeric sighs. "No, it was going to come up anyway. Might as well get it over with. Kind of a load off my chest, actually."

Good. Ian thought he was in trouble for a moment. But then Aeric is kissing him again and he even forgets what had him feeling off in the first place.

Barley texts that he's at Aeric's place, and Aeric makes sure Ian has everything before walking him down. He can smell something good coming from the kitchen—it's just about dinner time.

"Too bad you can't stay!" Della laments, leaning over her tank to give Ian a hug. "You actually keep my son on track with his homework!"

"You're welcome back anytime, Ian," Fiske calls from the stove—he's making what looks to be grilled griffin and a vegetable medley.

"Thanks! It was nice to meet you both!"

Outside, Aeric only gives Ian a hug and a kiss on the cheek, very wary that Barley is watching from Guinevere. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah," Ian assures, smiling. "I can't wait to tell everyone you're my boyfriend now."

There's that grin. The one that always makes Ian feel like he can melt. "Same here. Have a good night—say hi to Barley for me?"

"Will do!" Ian jogs to Guinevere, and notices Barley and Aeric sharing a friendly wave.

When the van door slams shut, Barley reaches to the back of the van and hands Ian a bag of takeout. "Mom's out with Colt tonight, but Corey set us up with dinner!" he exclaims, and they're off.

Griffin nuggets and fries. Ian can't help but smile; Barley knows him way too well. His brother opens his mouth knowingly, and Ian feeds him a stray fry so he can keep his hands on the wheel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooh, a little bit of conflict? I assure you all, it's still pretty much fluff from here on out! I hope you all like Aeric so far!
> 
> Kudos and comments are immensely appreciated!


	5. First Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ian attends his first high school party with Aeric, with a few magical touches.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How are we doing, friends? Happy Pride Month! I know it's been a bit since I last updated, but it's been a little hectic with everything going on and with all the projects I'm working on! I haven't given up, though! I'm almost done with my other two fics, which means that soon it'll be all Lightheim, all the time!
> 
> So enjoy this next part!

**_First Party_ **

_"Oh, don't you dare look back,_

_Just keep your eyes on me._

_I said, 'You're holding back.'_

_She said, 'Shut up and dance with me.'"_

**—"Shut Up and Dance" Walk the Moon**

**Aeric**

Aeric starts calling himself "Ian's boyfriend" so Ian doesn't get pigeonholed as "Aeric's boyfriend." He wants people to know Ian's name, and Ian as his own person. Luckily it actually catches on, but honestly it's because Ian's popularity has only started soaring since the "blowing up the school" incident.

All of Ian's friends start to see a surge in social standing after that. Sadalia definitely does, helped by the fact that she's now a cheerleader. That, and her report of the school incident after interviewing Ian is a smash—enough for her to enter it for some journalism awards and scholarships for next year.

Everyone learns that Althea is VP of the school's LGBTQ+ alliance, and they start seeing an influx of members and allies. Even Aeric joins in when he can (given his own sexuality—it's just difficult to attend meetings with games and practice), and it's cool to see kids from all walks of life and how they're learning to identify themselves. Ian's still a little too apprehensive to join in just yet, and Aeric can see why he'd find that scary. Althea assures him there's no pressure—even she's still kind of figuring hers out.

So it doesn't surprise Aeric in the slightest when Tina sits down with them during lunch one Wednesday.

He knows the drill; he doesn't know if Ian does. His free hand wraps around Ian's shoulder a little tighter, and Ian leans into him more.

"Hi, loves! Can't stick around for that long, but I wanted to let you know about my victory party Saturday—and you're all invited, of course!" she exclaims.

"Victory party?" asks Parthenope, taking a break from her grass salad. "The game isn't until Friday—unless you're talking about last week's away victory against the Knights."

` "Tina likes to call them all 'victory parties' before they happen," Gurge explains.

"Yeah, as a way to motivate us," Aeric laughs.

"Does it work?" Ian pipes up.

"Tell that to our five win streak this season!" exclaims Gurge, holding up his fist.

" _Hell_ yes!" Aeric replies, putting down his fork so he can return the fist bump, without letting go of Ian. "Although my motivation to victory is obviously my boyfriend." He still can't get over saying it! And he punctuates it with a kiss to Ian's forehead.

Tina awws. "You two are just too cute!"

"You get sick of it if you're around it every day!" Sadalia teases. "These two can't get enough of each other!"

"We're not... too gross with our PDA, are we?" Ian, worrywart he is, asks quietly.

"Oh, sweetie, there's no way!" Tina assures, blinking her giant blue eye demurely. "There's nothing wrong with cuddling up and hand holding."

"Yeah, you're not, like... making out and totally engrossed in yourselves in front of us," Sadalia adds, chuckling.

" _Trust me_ , Ian, you'll probably make Most Magical Couple for yearbook."

"Tina..." Aeric warns. She has a tendency to go out of her way to boost her friends' social statuses—probably to her detriment, one day.

Ever since Aeric's known her, though, her intentions have always been pure. Enough for her to be the second person he told, before officially coming out.

" _What_ , you're the hottest couple on campus! Of course everyone's all over you two now that you're boyfriends officially."

Ian flushes, not sure what to say about that. Aeric pipes up, "So, this party..."

"Oh, right! Saturday night, eight o'clock, beach bonfire! We're definitely gonna have s'mores and burgers. You know, small get together!"

Tina's "small get togethers" usually include half the student body at NMHS. But Althea grins, her braces gleaming. "It's not my dad's weekend, so I can definitely come!"

"And who am I to let my captain down?" says Sadalia. "I can start my piece about beach cleanup awareness, too!"

"I have to finish my pre-Alchemy homework, but maybe!" Parthenope nods.

"Well, you know Gurge and I are there," Aeric shrugs.

Tina looks over at Ian expectantly, as does the rest of the table. Unfortunately, much as Aeric wants him there, he can't _force_ Ian into that setting if he doesn't want to be there.

"Um... I'll think about it!" he decides, shooting Tina one of his crooked grins. They're always so adorable—it takes everything in Aeric not to say something about it.

"Well—okay!" Tina smiles back, grabbing her tray. "Gotta run for now, but remember to dress warm! I really can't wait to see you all there!"

Of course, the entire table is talking about this party now: what they're gonna wear, if they should bring food, who else is going. It's the first time Parthenope and Ian have been invited to one, but Ian is silent for the rest of lunch, which no one else notices but Aeric.

He doesn't comment on it until that night, over text. Aeric is brushing his teeth, probably way earlier than Ian. Thank the gods for study hall, otherwise he'd never get any sleep with how early he has to get up.

" _You were quiet after Tina left. You don't have to go, you know._ " Much as he wants Ian to, he knows if he forces him, that's going to cause sort of rift.

Ian responds after a few minutes. Maybe Aeric shouldn't reply as quickly as he usually does. " _I actually really want to go_ ," he confesses. " _But I don't know if anyone will like me, if there's a bunch of people there_. _I don't really like being in large groups, but I want to get used to it_."

So that's what he's worried about. Aeric contemplates how he should answer, spitting out his toothpaste first. He gets distracted by flossing for a moment, but realizes he shouldn't leave his boyfriend hanging, especially when he gets anxious.

" _If they don't like you, they're the crazy ones_ ," he assures. " _The good thing is, you know Tina, and all your friends are gonna be there. And having it at the beach is nice because you can take time out to walk away until you're comfortable_." Tina's house, while pretty big, still only has so much room.

After a moment, he adds, " _Although you might want to bring your wizard staff. Show off for these kids_." Aeric still can't believe all the amazing things Ian can do.

" _You sure they won't think I'm a freak_?" Ian asks, and Aeric can almost feel the anxiety from the other side of the screen.

Aeric turns off the light in the bathroom, before fumbling into bed. He places his glasses on the nightstand. " _Think of it this way: some kids just don't know how amazing magic can be, and you have the chance to prove that to them. And you can always leave it in my car if you're still feeling uncomfortable_." There, a compromise. " _And you're not a freak. Unless you want to be. Then I'd be the boyfriend of the most amazing freak in the realms_."

Maybe that's too cheesy. But Aeric takes whatever opportunity he can to just scream that he and Ian are boyfriends. Even if it _is_ to said boyfriend.

Ian sends a laughing gif. " _I don't want to be, but I appreciate the sentiment. I just want people to like me. Is that weird_?"

" _Not at all. I think that's actually pretty... normal. They'll like you, though. I get so many questions about you and they're all curious_."

" _Curious about what? I'm just a nerd who can do magic_."

" _A cute nerd_ ," Aeric clarifies with the emoji that blows a kiss. " _They just want to know more about us. Apparently they can't get over that I like you._ "

" _To be fair, I think my mind's still reeling about that. I mean you're... you._ "

Aeric yawns, making sure for the billionth time that his alarm is still on. " _I just play a sport pretty well and look pretty decent. But there's so much more to you, and you're insanely cute_. _I don't owe them an explanation. I just really like you_."

Ian's texting back, but then those three little dots disappear.

Just as Aeric is closing his eyes a few minutes later, his phone buzzes again. He can't leave Ian on read; it always makes him feel guilty. " _Okay. I'll go with the staff. But I reserve the right to walk off with you when I feel uncomfortable._ "

Aeric grins, wishing he could kiss Ian. He'll just have to do it tomorrow morning. " _Of_ course. _You'll love it_ ," he assures. " _And they'll love you, too_."

He gets the implications of what that could mean. Luckily Ian doesn't seem to catch on. " _I hope so. I'll see you tomorrow?_ "

" _For sure. Good night_."

" _Night_." Ian leaves it with a blue heart, and at least Aeric can sleep well, knowing he's going to do whatever it takes for his boyfriend to have a good time Saturday.

* * *

It's a six-win streak for the Dragons, this time against the Knolling Hills Prep Royals. Pretentious name, school, and team, anyway. Aeric almost fumbles knowing his parents _and_ Ian are in the crowd, but seeing his boyfriend cheering him to victory is just always somehow the perfect thing he needs to be motivated. Had his parents not been there, he definitely would have taken a three second break to see Ian in the bleachers (and kiss him for good luck, probably), but Ian shoots him a wink during halftime and Aeric is pretty sure his knees _actually_ go weak for a second. Sure, the guys tease him about it for the rest of the game, but he's okay with it—his boyfriend is pretty much perfect.

Aeric picks Ian up at seven the next night, after Mom presses him about getting more homework done before he can go out.

"Your boyfriend has been your greatest motivator yet!" she teases. "More than any of those other guys you've been with."

He doesn't know what it is about Ian that has him wanting them to spend pretty much every waking moment together, but it's... everything. He's fun, and interesting, and the way he looks at the world is unique, especially now that he's more in tune with magic. Everything he says has Aeric enthralled and when they _kiss_ , now that Ian has the confidence... He's a huge mess of feels.

Aeric opts for a grey cardigan over his usual v-neck tee and jeans, but brings along his varsity jacket, just for the sole purpose of Ian wearing it at some point.

"You look great!" Ian grins when Aeric picks him up, and they share a brief kiss before getting in the car. Ian's got on his usual flannel, remembering to dress for warmth.

"Sadalia texted that Althea's taking the rest of the gang, and that her curfew is one. What's yours?"

Aeric shrugs. "One," he says. "You?"

"Um..." Ian twirls his staff around a bit. "I don't think my mom said. She just said to text her on the way home, no matter how late it was."

"Cool." It's crazy that his own parents are pretty lenient—but they trust him, and Aeric tries to be good about sobering up before driving (Mom has even disclosed that if he needs to stay somewhere else because he's not feeling great, that's okay, too, as long as they stay in communication. It's only happened once). "Tina tends to... let her parties go on for a while," he explains. "She just wants to make sure no one leaves before they've had a great time."

"Sounds an awful lot like someone I know." Aeric can feel that playful stare on him.

"Yeah, well..." Aeric flushes. "Tina and I kind of go pretty far back, ever since I moved to New Mushroomton. She's more than just a cheerleader who likes to party, you know."

"Just like you're more than just an athlete." Ian smiles. "She talked to me before I asked you out. She didn't have to; she just... did. Do you like Gregor?"

"Um..." Aeric isn't sure how to answer. "He's a great QB and team captain. Maybe he's a little—brash sometimes. But he and Tina are pretty happy."

He doesn't like Gregor for Tina, as far as boyfriends go, especially since he's been with guys like him—outspoken and pretty boastful about certain activities. But Tina wants to go to Willowdale, and Gregor wants to move all the way up to Crystalwood, so at least the finality of their relationship is pretty palpable and understandable to both of them.

Aeric looks at Ian for a moment when they're at a light. This relationship feels nothing like Tina and Gregor's, for all the right reasons.

Aeric can see the glow of the bonfire from where they've parked, in the parking lot atop the hill, and can even hear the beat of the music someone's playing from a speaker. He helps Ian climb down the rocky steps, holding his hand the whole time and constantly looking back to make sure he's balanced okay (and that he's feeling okay about being here).

"You know I can make a bridge to walk over this, right?" Ian points out, waving his staff. "But I like holding your hand."

How is he so precious? "I like holding your hand, too," says Aeric, grinning. "I might not let go, you realize."

"I'm okay with that!" Ian laughs when they reach the bottom. "Sometimes you hold my hand even when it's sweaty."

"I don't mind it." Aeric shrugs. "I'd rather hold your hand than _not_ hold your hand."

"You made it!" Tina approaches, Gregor's jacket over her admittedly adorable crop top and shorts. So much for telling them to dress warm. "I was beginning to worry, but the rest of your crew's here, Ian! Gregor's flipping the burgers, the girls brought a _ton_ of snacks, and the keg's right over there." She points to a few kids gathered around with their red cups. "Only if you want to, of course." Leaning over into Ian's ear, she adds, "Make sure your boy doesn't have too many."

"Tina—" Aeric flushes; he was hoping not to have that conversation tonight, if at all. But she's already off, making her rounds again.

"Aeric?" Ian asks, raising a brow. "What is she talking about?"

He sighs. "I'll tell you in a bit, I promise. One won't hurt, though, and I know I've gotta drive you home later. You want something? I'm sure there's a soda or some water around."

"Um..." Ian's eyes dart to all the kids around the grill, on the beach, and by the bonfire. A few are tossing around a frisbee, some guys on the team are tossing a ball, and the mermaid kids are hanging out in the water. Most everyone is wearing a smile, having a great time. "The keg sounds good."

"Okay," says Aeric after a moment, taken aback a bit. That's the last thing he's expecting to hear. But he takes Ian over to the keg, letting go of his hand so he can pour them both drinks.

"Kelby!" There's other Erik, clapping him on the shoulder. Thank the gods he's also a senior—maybe next year Aeric can _finally_ just be... himself. "You brought your boyfriend to one of these gatherings, too?"

But, knowing Coach, he doubts it.

"Hey," says Aeric, hoping to get out of this conversation as quickly as possible. He takes a long swig from his cup; this is _not_ strong at all. Or maybe he's just used to it. "Tina invited Ian, you know." He's pretty sure Erik has no idea what his boyfriend's name is, nor will he remember.

"Still, talk of the town, even more than the latest victory!" Erik laughs, clapping Aeric yet again. "You kids have fun, you hear?"

Aeric mumbles something not so nice into his cup as he walks away.

"This doesn't taste great. I dunno why Barley likes it for some of his Quests of Yore campaigns," says Ian, making a face.

Shrugging, Aeric replies. "For one thing, this isn't good beer." But he's had worse. "You don't have to drink it or finish it, if you don't want to."

"I think I'll get used to it." Ian's adamant on keeping up appearances... but Aeric wants to make sure he doesn't feel any social pressure.

They start making their rounds, most stopping Aeric to say hi, and then, by proximity, hi to Ian. It's nice to introduce him: "Oh, this is my boyfriend, Ian." "Have you met my boyfriend, Ian yet?" It just never gets old.

" _Hi, Aeric_!" Aeric lights up as Millicent Shentonlaw taps his shoulder and signs her greeting. He loves his name sign: strong with an "A." It's a little better than glasses with an "A," that's for sure.

"Millie, hey!" He waves back. His URSL isn't perfect, especially one handed, but Millie reads lips pretty well. "Having fun?"

" _I can kind of detect the beat from the music, so... yeah_." She smiles, her pointy ears perking up. " _This is your boyfriend, right? Ian_?" Aeric's surprised; she already came up with a name sign for him: wizard with an "I."

"Um..." Ian looks confused. "Hi, I'm Ian." He tucks his staff under his arm so he can shake her hand.

"Oh, my bad!" Aeric translates for Millie. "'I know. Aeric's boyfriend. You're really cute.'"

"Um... thanks!" Ian chuckles, a little uncomfortable, and flushes.

Millie puts her hand to her chin and mouths, "thank you," which Ian quickly imitates.

" _A big upgrade from our first Seven party, huh_?" She chuckles, gesturing to Ian.

"I'm not translating that," he says, smirking. And then he signs, albeit slowly with only one hand, " _Shut up—you're cute, too_."

" _But I'm not a boy_." Millie raises a brow. "'I'm gonna grab a burger. You two have fun now, yeah?'"

"Yeah!" Ian imitates her sign for "yes," quickly picking up what he can. "It was nice to meet you!"

Millie slowly teaches Ian the signs to translate, smiling at how he's trying to communicate as best he can. She bounds off quickly after, pulling her blue hair back into a messy bun.

"Wow," says Ian. "I'm taking Eastern Elvish, but something tells me URSL is the superior language."

"I tried Eastern Elvish back in middle school," Aeric confesses, pushing his glasses up his nose. "But URSL came to me a lot easier—gave me something to do with my hands, which made it easier to concentrate on the work. Also my mom uses it to communicate with older mermaids, so she could actually help me study."

"Why's that?" Ian takes another swig. He really seems to be getting used to the taste; he's been taking sips a lot more often.

"Mermaids have different hearing than most other species," he explains. "It's way sharper so they can hear underwater, so when living on land..."

"The sounds are probably so much louder," Ian finishes. "I never thought about that."

"Yeah... a lot of them lose their hearing younger than most other species. Luckily my mom hasn't gotten there yet."

"Kelby, head's up!" A wayward Frisbee flies right toward his head.

Just as he's about to catch it, he hears Ian exclaim, " _Aloft Elevar_!" and the Frisbee floats just an inch or two from Aeric's face. He blinks, but he's seen it before. Still, it never ceases to amaze him that his boyfriend can do _magic_.

Everyone at the party has their eyes on Ian, jaws dropped. Is it just him, or does the music even get a little quieter, for a moment? It's not like Ian shows off at school, and it's not like many kids were there for the whole "cursed dragon" incident.

"Whoa!" says the kid who threw the Frisbee, in just as much awe. "Can you toss it back?"

"Sure!" Ian moves his staff, and the Frisbee moves back with it. "Go long— _Accelior_!"

The Frisbee goes _flying_ , soaring over their heads and down the shore. One of the centaur kids starts sprinting across the beach just to catch it, and the onlookers cheer on, enthralled.

Ian looks up at Aeric, the dorkiest grin on his face, and it takes all of Aeric's willpower not to kiss him. "See? Told you they'd love the magic."

Scrunching his nose teasingly, Ian cuddles up to Aeric's side. "Let's eat and sit with the gang."

"For sure." To Aeric's surprise, Ian's done with his first beer by the time they're grabbing patties from Gregor and putting on condiments. Ian piles on his plate with a bunch of different snacks other kids brought, but Tina is adamant that no one is allowed to touch the s'mores until they've eaten properly first. He even asks for another cup from the keg.

"Wouldn't that just make your hands too full?" he asks, raising a brow.

Ian shrugs. "Let's just levitate it all." And he does so with their piled-on plates and beers—a luxury Aeric didn't even realize was at his disposal, but... magical boyfriend.

Parthenope looks like she's too excited she can't contain it, practically bouncing as she sits on the towel she brought, that she's sharing with Althea. Gurge is cool as ever, coming to join them from tossing a ball around on the sand. Althea mentions there's a cute mermaid who's got her attention, and she might even dip her toes in the water later just to talk to her. Sadalia works her master multitasking skills, taking notes on her phone about the beach for her article while simultaneously keeping up all conversation.

"Isn't this so much fun, Ian?" Parthenope asks, after munching on a chip. "Everyone is so nice."

"Yeah... they are, actually," Ian admits, taking a huge bite of his burger. "It kind of helps that Aeric is so... friendly to them, too."

"Hush." Aeric nudges Ian playfully. "You're good with people, really. I guarantee you'd be just as popular even if you didn't have me here with you." It's his cheat day; he's allowed to have a burger and s'mores if he knows he's gonna work it off tomorrow (which he totally is).

"I dunno... I mean, I'm just glad I have all of you, too." He gestures to the group, grinning.

"Hey, _you_ introduced yourself to us," Sadalia points out. "That's all you, Ian. Aeric is... an added perk."

"A very _handsome_ added perk," Ian corrects, cuddling up to his side. "But he introduced himself to me, so that's a little different."

"Only because I knew if I didn't, someone else would totally make their move on him!" Aeric chuckles, wrapping his arm around Ian. So he has to balance his plate on his lap and his beer beside him. Totally worth it to keep Ian sided up to him, even if the bonfire is rather warm.

Aeric and Gurge end up recounting the game, even though all of them were in attendance last night. Still, it's fun to recount after the fact, especially after a victory, where Aeric can compliment how Gurge intercepted before the Royals scored a touchdown, and how Aeric just _knew_ where to tackle so they could keep the Royals from going too far. That, and Aeric's pretty sure Ian still has no idea how the game works (though he and Gurge and Parthenope have tried to explain it plenty of times). As long as he cheers at the right time, though, that's all that matters.

Sadalia then changes the subject to ask them about potential headlines for her article. The group knows better, though, than to go against her first choice—which is always the best. Aeric is just surprised that he clicks so well with all of them, when so often he feels like the interloper. Parthenope is a complete sweetheart, fiercely loyal and has the nicest laugh. He and Althea have bonded over their similar sexualities—to the point where Aeric wants one of those pride pins she always wears proudly on her flannel. Sadalia's helped him on all his papers so far, and his Lit grade has been a lot better.

These diverse kids, whom he wouldn't be close to without Ian.

"Can we take a walk after we eat?" Ian asks lowly, finishing off his chips.

Aeric's finishing up his burger. "Sure," he says. "You feeling overwhelmed?"

Ian nods. "Just a little. The music's kind of loud, and there's a lot of kids..."

"Yeah, I get it." He doesn't know if his friends know he's on the spectrum, so he's trying to speak just as quietly. Then again, he's been in Ian's shoes—he's had to take himself out of Tina's parties for a bit just to get away from all the craziness. Crumbling his paper plate, he starts to stand pulling Ian up with him.

"We're going for a walk," Ian announces, grabbing his staff. "Probably won't be too long."

The group exchanges a couple of nods and shrugs. "For sure," says Althea. "It'll probably be a bit before Tina lets us eat s'mores, anyway."

"Have fun!" calls Parthenope, as they start to walk off.

Aeric takes their garbage, throwing it all in the giant trash bag set up near the snack table, then walk along the shore, hand in hand. It's insanely romantic going off like this, he decides, especially since it's a clear night and the moons are pretty visible.

Ian even starts to shiver, now that the breeze from the waves is more evident and they're away from the bonfire. He starts moving closer to Aeric.

"Cold, babe?" Perfect moment for him to shed his varsity jacket and drape it over Ian's shoulders, which he does quickly.

"'Babe'?" Ian repeats, raising a brow. He shifts his staff between his hands so he can put the jacket on properly.

Aeric flushes, fixing his glasses. "Sorry... I-I guess it just slipped," he stutters, not expecting it. But he doesn't have a pet name for Ian—hopefully it's not too forward. But Ian's gorgeous, from his soft hair to his wonderfully crooked smile. Of course Aeric thinks he's, well, a total babe.

"I like it," Ian assures, taking his hand again. "Only if I can call you that, too, if that's okay."

Blinking, Aeric isn't expecting _that_ for an answer. "Um... for sure," he replies, squeezing Ian's hand gently. It probably sounds nice, coming from him. "I'd like that."

They walk in silence for a bit, just taking in the atmosphere. From here, the music fades, and the only light seems to come from the moons, not the bonfire. The waves skirt to about a foot away from Ian's feet, and they're walking slowly, leaving their footprints in the sand. Over by the rocks, Aeric notices a few kids are keeping to the side, passing around a joint. Luckily Ian doesn't ask what they're doing.

Instead, he asks, "What did Millie say earlier? You don't have to tell me if it's private."

"Well..." Aeric isn't sure how to go about it, but he trusts Ian not to laugh—especially at her. "I can tell you. Do you know what a Seven party is?"

Ian shakes his head. "I didn't know there were other themes outside of location and, like... really important milestones."

Aeric chuckles. "Tina, she's... always been pretty popular. I've just kind of come along for the ride, up until I joined the team. She hosted a Seven party when we were about twelve. Basically you put your phone in a basket. Someone picks out a phone blindly, and when you find them, the two of you get locked in a room for seven minutes."

"What's the point in that?" Ian's ears twitch, a little confused.

"I mean... we were all hormonal preteens and teenagers." Aeric shrugs. "At the time, I knew I was checking out more boys in the locker room than girls in class, but I still thought maybe..." Sighing, he shakes his head. "Anyway, I picked Millie's phone from the basket."

"How much URSL did you know?" Ian asks.

"Um... not nearly enough," Aeric confesses. "Like, enough to spell out my name and that's about it. But we had our phones back by that point, so we used texting—I learned a few more signs in those seven minutes."

"Like..." Ian gestures with the staff like he wants Aeric to demonstrate.

With one hand, Aeric does his best. "She asked if we could kiss."

"Oh—so your first kiss was a girl?" Ian's eyes widen. "Is that what she was talking about?"

"Yeah—we can kind of joke about it now." Aeric runs his hand through his hair, sighing. "But at the time, I felt awful. Millie is such a cute girl, but it just didn't _feel_ right. Just weird. I didn't know how to talk to her for a while. I probably came out a month or two after, once I finally sat down and thought about it, like how Millie was cute and I _should_ like her, but I'd rather kiss the guy two lockers down from me after gym class. All girls were just kind of like that for me. It's scary, you know—figuring it out all on your own and not knowing who's still gonna be your friend in the morning. It's why I told my mom first."

"What did she say?" Ian squeezes his hand, and it really helps.

"She said she knew, and she hugged me and assured me she still loved me." Aeric sighs. "My parents are insanely supportive people."

"My family, too." Ian nods. "I just told Mom and Barley we're official, and now Barley says you have to come over for a Quests of Yore campaign sometime."

Aeric can breathe a sigh of relief, though Barley had always been okay with the idea of Ian dating him (his unfortunate initials aside). He squeezes Ian's hand back. "Which I would love, by the way. So yeah—Millie was teasing me about that. It's taken us a while to get us to that joking point, but she's genuinely really funny and sweet."

"And Tina?" Ian's swinging their hands along. Looking back, Aeric can barely see the party in the distance, and that makes this a good place to stop without anyone interrupting. "What about what she said? About you not drinking too much?"

"Oh." He's only had two beers tonight—very _light_ ones, at that. With his height and weight, it's gonna take a lot more to affect him. "That was more of a problem when I first joined the team and kind got thrust right into all this more. I, uh… used to drink a lot at parties."

"Why's that?" Ian's stopped with him, now looking up at him with those giant, brown eyes.

Aeric sighs. It's completely embarrassing, but Ian seems more interesting, hasn't been judging him so far. "We're lucky we're at a beach right now," he confesses. "When these parties get big, when they're just in _one_ house, there's no space to really take yourself out if you feel overwhelmed. And with all these people you don't really know… yeah, in the beginning, drinking kind of helped all that. I was able to talk to people without worrying about what you're gonna say too much."

"You get sensory overload sometimes, too?" Ian asks. Is he… smiling, knowing that?

"Depends on the situation," Aeric admits. "I can concentrate when it's a game, or during a workout. I usually have to listen to music when I'm studying, which—you know." Is he rambling? No one's ever really gotten why sometimes he just seems a little… out of it, other than his mom.

He clears his throat. "I have a tendency to get kind of… _flirty_ when I drink. First party, here I am, hitting on the— _very_ straight, I might add—track team captain, and very clearly regretting it in the morning. A lot of early parties were just kind of… like that. Drink too much, flirt with guys clearly out of my league, regret it all in the morning, repeat next weekend. Embarrassing, right?"

"Well, you're in your element now, from what I can see," Ian points out, tilting his head back toward the party. "You're a total natural, being around so many people. I never would have guessed."

"I think I'm used to it at this point." Aeric shrugs, and it seems more like a concession. "But don't think I'm not having fun! These are _insanely_ fun, especially now that you're here with me."

He watches Ian flush, still not over being able to take many compliments. "I'm having fun, too," he admits. "Hey… can you teach me how to sign 'Can I kiss you?' Like what you said before?"

Tilting his head to the side, Aeric lets Ian's hand go. "URSL has a different grammatical structure than how we speak," he explains.

"Then… just the sign for 'kiss'?" he asks, and with those huge eyes looking up at him, how can Aeric say no?

"Like this." His hands pucker at the tips, touching.

"Okay." After gently placing the staff on the sand, Ian points at himself, then signs for kiss, and then points at Aeric.

Grinning, Aeric signs for "yes," pulling Ian in.

When they kiss, Ian has a habit of taking Aeric's face in his hands and taking control, even if he isn't aware of it. Aeric is definitely mindful about the height difference, making sure to lean down so Ian isn't on his toes. But there's something to be said about Ian's passion, how he hums and moves their lips together, now very aware of how he needs to tilt his head to be mindful of his nose.

A nose Ian finds too big, but Aeric absolutely adores.

Aeric really doesn't know how long they've been kissing, soothed by the calming sound of waves, everything slow and languid. His hands hold onto Ian's waist underneath his varsity jacket, and Ian's hands have wandered all over his jaw, his cheeks, his neck. It's Ian who changes the angle, who teases his teeth against Aeric's bottom lip, who has total control over where this is going, even if he doesn't realize it. He even knows when to pull away a bit so Aeric's glasses can stop fogging up for a moment. And Aeric is here for it all, responding accordingly with the barest of hums, their bodies flush. It's gorgeous and perfect, and… it's all _Ian_.

Ian giggles as he finally pulls away, biting his bottom lip. How is it, after that, he still has the audacity to be that adorable? "Do you think it's time for s'mores?" he asks.

Aeric pulls out his phone. 9:46. "You know, probably," he decides. Pretty much everyone has probably eaten by this point. They're probably all done running around, tossing Frisbees and footballs with no aim. "So… food is the one thing that'll break off kissing."

"No…" Ian flushes, even if Aeric knows by now he knows he's teasing. He picks up his staff. "I really like kissing you. Like… a lot."

"I know." Aeric grins, taking his hand again. They start walking back, stepping over the footprints they just made. "I do, too. And you might not realize it, but you're _really_ good at it."

Now Ian's pink from head to toe. He licks his lips, taking a moment to think of how to reply. "W-well…" he starts. "I guess it's 'cause I have a really good teacher."

Chuckling, Aeric swings their hands together. They still walk slowly, enjoying the waves, the moonlight, just being in their own bubble where nothing else matters. Aeric asks about Quests of Yore, and Ian explains how to play as best he can, though he admits he's relatively new to it all. Genuinely, Aeric wants to know how to play, so he can learn more about Ian's magic, how he can help him study it, even if he probably can't do it himself.

And maybe, just deep down, he'd love to be the valiant knight, protecting the gorgeous mage prince.

When they get back, Aeric notices Althea getting the cute mermaid's number programmed into her phone out by the shore. Parthenope and Sadalia dance near the speakers, and Gurge is tossing around the Frisbee with a few other guys. Tina runs up to them, grinning. "Oh, there you two are! Just in time for s'mores!"

"Um, Tina?" asks Ian, a little shyly.

"Yeah, sweetie?" Tina blinks, patting his shoulder. "What's up?"

"There's… a spell I'd like to do for everyone, once we're all settling in with s'mores," he says. "Is that okay?"

"Oh, of course! I'm sure everyone would love to see that! I'll make an announcement for sure." She then turns to the crowd. "Hey, everyone! S'mores are ready! And Ian wants to do a spell for us!"

The cheerleading voice certainly commands attention. Pretty much everyone gathers in at Tina's command, grabbing sticks and supplies. Ian grabs two for himself, and Aeric will allow himself one.

"Why are you turning your marshmallow so slowly?" Ian asks, blowing off the flames of his burnt one. He looks like he might want to scarf down an entire bag of marshmallows, at the rate he's going, but leans against Aeric so he can watch.

"I'm going for the perfect shade of golden brown," Aeric explains. Really, he takes his time so that it tastes sweet enough, so he won't crave another one, especially with how much time he's taking. At this distance from the flame, turning slowly, it should definitely happen. There's a very fine line between perfect and burnt.

"Burnt marshmallows are super good, though," Ian points out, smashing his marshmallow between the chocolate and graham crackers. Hell, he's already eating his first s'more, Aeric can hear. "You should try them sometime."

"Mm… maybe," he says politely, but really it's a decline. He doesn't really eat s'mores that often, and Ian is kind of still figuring out that he can't eat everything whenever he wants.

"Perfect!" Aeric's got the perfect, golden brown shade to his marshmallow. Ian spears his second, while trying to munch on his first.

"That does look really good," Ian admits, trying to emulate how Aeric twirled his stick to achieve the same look. "Does it taste good, too?"

Aeric shrugs, humming as he takes a bite. "I mean, I think so. I only have a s'more like… once every few months or so?"

"Really?" Ian asks around his finished s'more. Distracted, the second one catches on fire, and he blows it out. "Barley and I make stovetop s'mores like… all the time."

He can't help but smile, albeit a little sadly. Aeric's always wanted a sibling, but he's more than enough for his mom. A pet, even, would have been nice, but… it's just him. No one to make stovetop s'mores with or throw a ball around when Mom and Dad were busy. Ian is _so lucky_ he has someone like Barley. "Must be nice," he says.

"He told me the burnt marshmallows are the best." Ian's second has one burnt spot, the rest nice and golden. "I guess I've just always kind of believed it 'cause he's my big brother." Contemplating for a moment, he hands his s'more to Aeric. "You try the burnt part. I'll have the golden part and we can decide."

Again, with those brown eyes, so sincere… He can see the flames dancing in them. "Deal," he says, taking the s'more. He hands Ian his. "You can have the rest of mine, too."

Ian smiles, taking it. "Okay!" He seems more than happy with this development—whatever gets the most sweets in him, Aeric guesses.

Taking a bite, he hums. The burnt part doesn't really taste burnt, but it's very crispy, and mixed with the melting chocolate and graham cracker… maybe Ian's right. But he's still gonna keep trying for the more golden consistency. "I really like the burnt part," he decides.

"And I really like the golden part!" Ian agrees, nodding. "I guess s'mores are just good no matter what!" He licks some of the residue from his fingers. "Wait, I was gonna do something."

"You wanna do it now?" Aeric nods over at the staff.

Ian takes the rest of Aeric's s'more, nodding. "Yeah, while everyone's here."

When he stands, Tina takes note, announcing, "I think Ian's gonna do a spell for us now!"

Taking his stance, Ian points the staff up and cries, " _Boombastia!_ " A flurry of fireworks erupts above everyone's heads, making for a colorful show. Sure, Aeric saw this at the Manticore's Tavern, but this is different. Against the night sky, the colors are more vibrant, brighter. They sparkle in Ian's eyes, because even though everyone is cheering at the sight above them, after a moment, Aeric's got his gaze back on his boyfriend.

Noticing this, Ian blinks and sits back next to Aeric, leaning against him. "What?" he asks, giving a low chuckle.

"You know those fireworks? That's how I feel every time we kiss," he confesses, something he hasn't said aloud to Ian, but something he's definitely felt this entire time.

While everyone else is distracted by the show, Ian leans over and kisses Aeric again.

Now _this_ is real magic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some really cute fun facts:
> 
> -Althea is seen wearing a rainbow shield pin on her flannel! I just took that and ran with it.
> 
> -The cute deaf elf girl really exists in the movie! She and her friend are conversing and she calls Ian a "cute boy" in ASL (where Ian is preparing to enter school). I named her Millicent Shentonlaw, after actress Millicent Simmonds (from A Quiet Place) and Rachel Shenton (Oscar winning filmmaker for "The Silent Child"). "URSL" is short for "United Realms Sign Language," the realm in which New Mushroomton is located.
> 
> -The offhanded sentence about Aeric being a knight protecting mage prince Ian is from thundasir's amazing fantasy AU that I can't stop thinking about! You can find her amazing work on tumblr.
> 
> Stay safe out there, please! I hope I can offer some fluff in these trying times. As always, kudos and comments are greatly appreciated.


	6. First Family Dinner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laurel invites Aeric over for family dinner in the Lightfoot household.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now that both of my other fics are done, I can focus completely on this one! Fingers crossed it'll be updated every week. And yes, another chapter in time for Pride! I'm always excited to write for these boys.

_**First Family Dinner** _

" _Oh no, you hit me in the heart_

_Bullseye, right where the feelings are._

_Meet me at the beach; meet me at the park_

_I just wanna be wherever you are."_

—" **Wherever You Are" adam &steve & Maty Noyes**

**Ian**

" _Mom asked if you can come over for dinner Saturday night, if that's okay_."

It takes him an hour to draft that text perfectly, and another half hour to contemplate sending it. The only thing that compels him is the fact that it's already Thursday night, and Ian knows Aeric is about to hit the hay (how he goes to bed so early and wakes at five for a run and swim every morning before school, he'll never know).

But now that they're official, there's no way he couldn't tell Mom, and Barley's known for a little bit now, too. He moved his shift Saturday to something earlier just so he can make this dinner. And Mom insisted on a family dinner to help get to know Aeric.

"Is he a vegetarian?" she asked, already adamant on meeting him.

"No," Ian replied, heart pounding. He remembered wiping his sweaty palms on his jeans. "But he's really, really healthy."

"Oh, like I'm trying to be!" Mom chuckled, though Ian wasn't sure protein shakes and ice cream counted as a healthy diet (like he would know). "I guess I can make some whole wheat pasta and lean meatballs."

" _I'd love to_." Of course Aeric's response is immediate. It's like he has a tab on whenever Ian texts him and will drop everything to message back. " _Let me know what time_."

" _Maybe you want to study together before dinner_?" Ian asks. Kind of like the last time he went to Aeric's place. Get all this awkwardness out of the way so they can just... be.

" _Sure. Same time you were at my place?_ "

" _Sure!_ " A whole day with Aeric, at his house. Ian looks around his room; it's not that messy, is it? He just needs to put his clothes away and straighten out his desk. Vacuum, definitely. Hopefully Aeric doesn't think the Lightfoots are all slobs (well, Barley is, but they'll definitely be staying out of his room). Maybe he can get Mom to make her exercise equipment a little nicer, since there's no way in hell Barley's gonna move his Quests of Yore campaign, even with the prospect of having a dinner guest over.

" _Eleven. Won't be late. I'll see you tomorrow_?"

" _You got it! Good night._ " Ian sends with his usual blue heart. It's gotten to the point where he's confident enough to add it next to Aeric's contact info he has stored (and he may or may not know that his name has all the hearts next to it on Aeric's phone).

It's like every day, he finds yet another reason to like him even more.

* * *

Barley's up way earlier than anyone's comfortable with once it's Saturday morning, just so he can make his shift. Ian wakes up a little later to the smell of coffee and a text from Aeric saying he was able to fit in a morning run but he'll be on his way after breakfast.

He was up late the night before wondering if his room is too messy and proceeding to clean it (and Barley even took some time to clean up Quests of Yore so they can use the dining table tonight). Will Aeric think all his bug doodles are weird? Should he take down some of his posters? He at least opens up the window to let in some fresh air, and breathing it in, that helps.

"Hi, sweetie!" Mom greets breathlessly from her aerobics workout. "Colt's out grocery shopping for us tonight. How does lean, ground griffin sound for the meatballs?"

It doesn't sound great, but he's sure Aeric will appreciate it. "Yeah, great, Mom," he assures, though he's feeling a little nervous about Colt being there. Colt has never said anything nice about the people Barley's liked—what if he doesn't like Aeric? Will that sway Mom into not liking him, too? Ian rummages through the fridge for milk and frosted Trolli-O's, dodging Blazey as she sprints past him.

"Should I take Blazey for a walk after breakfast?" he asks, eating his cereal just over the sink counter. Looks like it's gonna be a nice day, at least.

"Don't worry about it, sweetie, I'll do it later," Mom assures. "Probably after your boyfriend arrives. What's his name again? AK...?"

"No, Barley just calls him that because of his initials," Ian explains, chuckling. He's heard kids call Aeric "AKA" on campus, but it doesn't seem like something he's too fond of, kind of like his middle name. "His name is 'Aeric.' He's the Dragons' runningback."

"Eric with an 'A,' huh?" Mom ejects the tape from the player and starts rolling up her equipment. Ian's glad she's putting more care into putting her stuff away, too. "That's different."

"I like him." Ian shrugs, playing with his food a bit. "I think a lot."

"That's great, sweetie." Mom ruffles his hair as she starts making her protein shake. Ian remembers seeing the same whey powder in Aeric's house. " _You said he has purple eyes, right_?"

" _Yeah_!" Ian answers over the roar of the blender. " _But he doesn't like to talk about it, so please don't bring it up_!"

" _What_?" Mom lets the blender go off a few more moments. "You said to _not_ bring up his eyes?"

"Um..." Is it too forward if he says this? "His birth mom left his dad when he was a baby. I guess she also has purple eyes. It just makes him a little uncomfortable."

"Oh, how awful..." Mom pours her shake into a glass, and Ian tries not to make a face as she downs most of it in one go. "He doesn't have a mom?"

"He does—she's a mermaid," Ian explains. "She adopted Aeric when she married his dad."

"Strong woman," Mom comments before she finishes the rest of her shake. "It takes someone amazing to take a kid into your life like that."

"She's really nice." Ian taps his spoon on the edge of his bowl. "She even hugged me when I left his house."

"Don't think I won't with your boyfriend," Mom threatens, squeezing his shoulder. "I can't believe my baby's all grown up and in his first relationship!"

" _Mom_..." Ian chuckles, draining the rest of the milk down the sink. He washes his mom's glass, as well as his bowl. "Please don't embarrass me like this in front of my boyfriend!"

"Oh, sweetie, you know I can't promise that." She leans over and kisses his cheek. "Embarrassing you is part of my job. Now, you should probably get dressed—you're still in your PJs, Mister Adult Man."

That he is: Puddle of Mush concert tee and the pajama pants littered with stars. He bets Aeric somehow looks put together in his PJs while he looks like a hot mess, his curls probably all over his face as unkept as usual. Ian heads upstairs and brushes his teeth, his comb getting lost in his hair for a hot moment before he tugs it out (ow).

Jeans and a flannel are just fine, right? It's what Aeric sees him in pretty much every day, and they're just studying together and having dinner with the family. Ian changes quickly, glad that the moment he does, Aeric texts that he's on his way.

All right, homework... Aeric mentioned there's a couple of questions he's stuck on for calculus (and honestly, Ian thinks Aeric plays a little dumb on purpose so Ian can show off—he's seen how well he does on tests), and they're both still getting stumped by the book they have to read for Lit. Ian sets this all up so he doesn't think too hard and get anxious about Aeric meeting his mom (and Blazey! What about her? She's not a huge fan of Colt...).

There's a knock at the door. Ian dashes downstairs, almost slipping if it weren't for his grip on the rail.

But Mom and Blazey beat him to it.

"Down, girl—down, dragon. Oh! You must be Aeric." Mom wrangles Blazey by the collar so she can't jump all over Aeric. "Come on in—sorry about the dragon; she's still young."

"That's okay," says Aeric politely, gingerly stepping inside. Even when he toes off his shoes, it's very quiet. Looking up, they lock eyes, and Aeric's smile is shy. "Hey, Ian."

"H-hi." Ian can't move—why is he stuck in place just three steps up?

" _Blazey_." Mom's still holding her back; she looks like she's about to attack Aeric in dragon kisses. "Ian, you never mentioned how _handsome_ your boyfriend is!"

" _Mom_!" Ian chastises, feeling his cheeks heating up.

"Um..." Aeric isn't sure how to answer, so he just looks about the bottom floor of their mushroom house, from Mom's aerobics equipment to all their haphazard records. "You have a very lovely home, Ms. Lightfoot."

"Laurel, please." Mom waves her free hand. "You hungry, Aeric? I'm sure we have something for you to snack on..."

Ian finally finds his feet again, and he descends the rest of the stairs, siding up to his boyfriend. He's not sure if he can take his hand, much as he wants to.

"Oh, I'm good, thanks." Aeric pats his stomach. "I had a pretty big breakfast this morning."

Mom thinks Blazey has calmed down, but the moment she lets her go, she runs right up to Aeric, almost knocking him down as she climbs up his legs. Aeric, though, strong as he is, takes it easily, laughing as he scratches her back. "Hey, there!" he chuckles. "You're really friendly, aren't you?"

Ian blinks, but grins after a moment. Blazey seems to love Aeric more than... well, him. She's lapping at his face, nuzzling against his neck. Aeric holds her easily, and the two are getting along _amazingly_.

"Who's a good dragon?" Ian teases as he scratches her belly. " _You are_ —! You really like Aeric, don't you, girl?"

"Apparently!" Aeric is having trouble keeping her still, but he's still laughing. "I've always wanted a dragon. Kind of hard with my mom, though."

"Ah." There's a hint of sadness behind Aeric's voice, like it's somehow his fault that he could never have a pet. "Well, you can definitely come over and see Blazey whenever!"

"Oh, I welcome it. You're a runner, right, Aeric?" Mom holds up Blazey's leash for her walk, and that's the only thing that can get her to leap from Aeric's arms.

"Among other things!" They watch as Mom wrestles the leash onto Blazey—it's the one that keeps her at Mom's side, behaving the whole walk.

"She's got boundless energy—I bet she could keep up with you," she teases, shooting him a wink.

"Well, can she get up at five in the morning?" Aeric shrugs. "'Cause that's when I usually get up so I can workout before school."

"Oh, gods." Mom's eyes widen. "You're quite the hard worker, aren't you?"

"I have to be—gotta keep up with this one." He nudges Ian playfully. "Your son is insanely smart."

"Don't I know it." Oh, he's got Mom wrapped right around his finger in just a few moments. She sighs, bringing Blazey to the door. "Well, for now I guess I still have to be the one to take her for walks. Colt should be by soon with groceries. You boys studying here in the meantime?"

Ian nods. "In my room, if that's okay?" His brows furrow, a little worried. They never discussed this.

Mom raises a brow, but doesn't mention that. "That's fine," she says slowly. "Just make sure to leave the door open."

Barley's never had to do that with anyone he's brought over. But Ian doesn't fight her on it, just in case she makes them stay down here for doing so. He doesn't want to deal with Colt constantly questioning him and Aeric. "Okay," he agrees, grabbing his staff before starting back up the stairs. "Have a nice walk."

"Nice to meet you!" Aeric calls as Mom starts out the door.

"Nice to meet you, too, Aeric!" The door slams behind her.

They have the house to themselves. But Ian just leads Aeric upstairs. "Your mom is super nice," Aeric assures. "So tonight it'll be us, her, your brother..."

"And my stepdad, Colt." Ian rolls his eyes. Colt's... all right, Ian guesses, but he's come into their lives so late that there's really no time to bond, and he never really made an effort until _after_ his sixteenth birthday.

"Oh. How long have he and your mom been together?" Of course Aeric thinks this is a bonding moment; Ian doesn't blame him. But Colt isn't Della. Colt hasn't really helped Ian learn to drive, and definitely doesn't help with homework. He cooks, and plays Quests of Yore every once in a while... while chastising Barley the whole time. He didn't raise them—that was Mom and Barley.

"Just a couple of years." Ian shrugs, opening the door to his room for Aeric. Hopefully he doesn't keep asking.

Luckily, he just starts taking in his room instead, grinning at the astrology chart, the Puddle of Mush poster. "Your room is very... you," he compliments, going over Ian's dresser, from all his books on bugs and math theories, to the old camera dad left behind, that Ian's been using for the past few years (mostly of bugs, but he brought it to a game once and now there's a few pictures of him and Aeric, along with all the ones on his phone). He places his backpack down next to the desk.

Aeric smiles when he gets to the cork board, from all of Ian's lists he makes for the day to his class schedule. His fingers brush lightly over the Willowdale pennant. "This was your dad's, wasn't it?" he asks.

Ian nods. "Yeah... I still have all his Willowdale stuff—he was really proud of going there, and so was my mom."

"Wow, both of 'em?" Aeric looks over at Ian, letting his hand drop. "My dad went to Stonemeade, and my mom went to, well, Atlantis." He chuckles. "I think I cried when I found out it was only for mermaids. Willowdale, though... that's the dream."

Ian sides up to Aeric and rests his head against his shoulder. "It'd be cool if we went there together," he says, flushing. At least, he hopes they're still together by then, going to college... Something about whatever they have seems to stretch infinitely in front of Ian, a plethora of possibilities and experiences he can see for his future, with Aeric at his side the whole time.

"Yeah," Aeric agrees, giving a nervous laugh. He looks over at all of Ian's math awards. "Wow—I wish I had awards like these instead of sports trophies. You're so smart, babe."

He's still not used to the pet name; it always takes him by surprise. But he likes it, and can't believe Aeric actually thinks he's, well, _hot_. Has Aeric ever seen himself? "Yeah, well, so are you," he counters.

Aeric chuckles, and Ian likes that he doesn't deny it, or act humble to fish for a compliment—his confidence just... is. It's another one of the things Ian really likes about him, wants to learn from him.

"You look a lot like your dad," he adds, his voice a little softer understanding the severity of the comment.

"Really?" Ian asks, looking up at Aeric hopefully. He's so lanky and awkward, and Dad's smile is so... sure. He fits perfectly with his body, totally confident in himself—but gods know he's trying.

"Yeah," Aeric assures, and the way he's looking at him... Ian doesn't know how to describe it other than complete sincerity, the way his eyes sparkle, the gentility of his smile...

Ian reaches up to cup his face, and pulls him down for a kiss. There's always something about kissing Aeric, he realizes. He's susceptible to pretty much anything Ian wants to try, from the angles, the little teases. He always lets Ian take control, seems to like that, in fact, if his barest of hums are any indication. He knows Aeric is getting into it when those hands encircle his waist to pull them flush, and Ian pulls back a bit just for air—but his eyes are still closed and he can't believe that _this_ , the thing he's been most nervous for with all the flirtation, is the thing that comes most naturally to him. Where he can turn his brain off and not _think_ and hum in return at the feel of Aeric's lips against his own, soft and sturdy.

Aeric backs up until he's sitting at the edge of the bed, and instinctively Ian knows to sit right on his lap so they're the perfect height: Ian doesn't have to reach up, and Aeric doesn't have to bend down. The kiss deepens, Aeric's hands holding on tight to the hem of Ian's flannel, and Ian's hands wander all over his jaw, his neck, the back of his ears, his cheeks. They've gotten so good at it that Aeric can rip his glasses off to toss aside so quickly that Ian can't register how quickly the kiss is broken before those lips are on his again. Ian gives a satisfied smile against Aeric's lips when he hears him hum again when his fingers trace the silhouette of his ear with the tip of his finger; he likes knowing that _he_ can make the star runningback turn into complete mush with just a few touches.

Maybe Aeric's so big, or Ian is just small enough to feel like he's being completely surrounded by those arms, like for these few moments his world is _just_ Aeric and the realms don't matter. Ian loves getting the occasional whiff of his body spray and something about his scent that he can't quite pick up but knows it's just his boyfriend. He loves playing with the longer ends of his teal hair, how they both know how to tilt their faces so their noses don't bump. Aeric always lets Ian have complete control—probably so he can experiment and find what works best for him, but Ian can't help but feel like Aeric is just a little... naturally submissive when it comes to kissing. Like he's happy just knowing he can make his partner feel good.

Ian feels like he can just kiss Aeric the rest of the afternoon, but the acute sound of a car door slamming, followed by a muffled, "Can I get the door for you, hon?" has Ian pulling away from Aeric rather quickly. He forgot he left his window open, too, but that's better than getting caught.

"Sh-Shantar's Talon," he mumbles, scrambling off Aeric's lap. Picking up on the cue, Aeric reaches for his glasses and puts them on. "We're supposed to be doing homework!"

"Right..." Aeric clears his throat, reaching over for his backpack. "Should I go down and meet your stepdad now?"

"Nah, don't worry about it." Ian waves a dismissive hand as he grabs his Calculus notebook and textbook. "You can meet him at dinner." Colt is _probably_ going to like Aeric, from what he can gather.

They start working on the problems assigned from the textbook like it's no big deal, like they weren't kissing passionately just moments ago. Ian lets Aeric take his desk while he sits on the bed, hoping that will help him concentrate (the leg jiggling has already started).

After some time, Aeric's eyes dart to Ian's staff, leaning against his desk. "You didn't say why you brought that upstairs," he says, pointing his chin toward it.

"Oh." Ian realizes they got... distracted before he could mention anything. "I was thinking... maybe later we could see if _you_ had 'the Gift.'"

"'The Gift'?" Aeric repeats, raising a suspicious brow.

Ian shrugs. "It's what Barley calls my ability to do magic. I was just curious..."

"Oh, I really doubt it," Aeric dismisses. "It takes someone special to do magic, and trust me, Ian, I'm _definitely_ not that person."

"Oh, come on!" Ian goads, leaning in to kiss the tip of Aeric's nose. He knows to make his eyes big; it's how he was able to get Barley to do stuff for him when they were kids. "Just one little spell for me? I just wanna know!"

Aeric concedes pretty quickly, sighing. "You're lucky you're cute, you know that?"

"I know!" Chuckling, he pushes his books aside, getting up to hand Aeric the staff. "You remember the spell I've done before? The levitation one?"

Nodding, Aeric grips the staff a little tighter before standing, too.

"That's the easiest spell to master," he continues. " _Aloft Elevar_." Just saying it, even without the staff, brings a bit of a magical tingle down his spine, now that he knows what he's doing better.

" _Aloft Elevar_ ," Aeric repeats him slowly. Of course, like this, he can't activate it.

"Okay, good." Ian smiles. "But now, you point it at what you wanna levitate. And say it with your Heart's Fire."

"What's that?"

"Um..." Even now, Ian isn't sure how to explain it. "Barley says you have to have the three Ps: purity, purpose, and passion. It was a lot harder for me, 'cause I've never really seen magic being done before. But _you_ , on the other hand..."

"I have." Aeric nods, loosening up his stance. "And it's always amazing every time."

Ian flushes, but that's his only response. "So yeah, um..." He points at their textbook. "Maybe try with that?"

"'Kay." Aeric licks his lips, takes his stance, concentrates... " _Aloft Elevar_!" His Heart's Fire definitely seems like it's in the right place, but... nothing.

"Oh, well." He's already shrugging, conceding! Giving in! He's about to put the staff back down!

Ian shakes his head. "W-well, you were expecting something!" he says, trying to think fast. "The first time I did the spell, it was 'cause my dad—well, his _legs_ were in danger."

"So like, you wanna put me in a fight or flight scenario?" Aeric looks down at the staff, skeptical.

"Well, not _that_ extreme." Ian's eyes dart briefly to a pillow on his bed while Aeric's still preoccupied. "But it could help."

"Babe, it's really all, good that I don't—"

Ian tosses his pillow toward Aeric's face.

As someone who's used to projectiles flying toward him, Aeric picks up on it quickly, and is ready to go again. " _Aloft Elevar_!" he cries perfectly.

Still nothing. The pillow whacks Aeric right in the face, and Ian pales, holding his breath a moment.

"Oh my gods, babe, are you okay?" he asks, grabbing the pillow back before tossing it back on the bed.

Laughing, Aeric nods. "It's just a pillow, Ian," he assures, setting the staff back against his desk. "I've had worse things hit me in the face—this was nothing."

"O-okay." But Ian kisses Aeric's cheek anyway, hoping that will help, then fixes his askew glasses. "Sorry about that..."

"No big deal." Aeric sighs, before sitting back in the chair. "So I don't have 'the Gift.' That's fine; I've pretty much lived magic free for my entire life before that. Besides, it's so much cooler that just you can do it."

"I guess..." Ian shrugs. He still hasn't met or heard of anyone else who can do magic within driving distance, much research as he's trying to do.

"That doesn't mean I still don't want to help you out, though." Aeric taps his pencil against his chin. "I mean, it's still so cool—and I wanna learn all about Quests of Yore, too. Whatever you need."

It helps, knowing his boyfriend is super into wanting to learn about magic to help him, but he can't help but feel a little sad. Still, they get back to their homework like they haven't missed a beat. Their Social Studies homework, Ian realizes, barely has any mentions of magic, either, like the whole thing just... disappeared.

Ian turns the light on when it starts to get darker outside (his room doesn't get great lighting, like Aeric's does). Aeric leans back to look around again. "Your room is so cozy. It has so much of your personality in it."

Shrugging, Ian sits back on the bed. Next on the list he made for today is proofreading essays for final draft. "You don't think it's weird? All the bug stuff?"

"I like all your little sticky note drawings." Aeric traces a finger over the edge of one of them on his cork board. "And even all the bug flash cards, your photos... hey, look, I'm even here!" Ian can't see his face, but he can tell he's grinning. Right now all they have is the _one_ good selfie Aeric took with Dad's old camera, but Ian's pretty sure a lot of his cork board is going to get an overhaul of pictures of the two of them—his locker, too. "My room is so... blah. Just trophies and exercise equipment. Bet it looks like half the guys on the team."

"I mean... maybe you could put up some tea lights, posters of album covers..." Ian suggests. "I don't mind helping out with that."

"Pictures of us!" Aeric interjects, turning. He looks so excited at the prospect, but flushes when he notices Ian's hesitance. "O-oh... was that too forward?"

"No, just a little surprising." Ian gives a little chuckle. "We would need more in the first place..."

"I mean, I have one of those printers that make your photos look a little old school, like Polaroids? We could use some of the pictures from our phones."

Ian nods. Sure, his album for Aeric already has more than a hundred photos in it (mostly saved from his stories on social media), but there's bound to be a good one or two in there, right? It's not like he goes through all of them nearly every night, thinking about how lucky he is to be dating the most handsome guy _ever_. "Y-yeah, that'd be super cool!"

Aeric grins. "Great! I guess if I wanna head to the store tomorrow, we should probably get back to homework?"

Well, that's a first; usually it's Ian trying to keep him on track. But when Aeric has a focus... he _really_ focuses, fixates. "Yeah." He hands Aeric his paper. "You're at least nicer on critique than Sadalia..."

Shuddering, Aeric takes the paper, before handing Ian his own. "Okay, at least we can agree that she's _ruthless_ when it comes to editing."

* * *

Guinevere 2.0 is quieter coming into the driveway than original Guinevere, but Ian can tell when his brother gets home—especially with the window still open. The breeze is starting to get chilly, though, so he gets up to close it. Luckily, they've really done a dent in their homework, enough for Aeric to sleep in until noon tomorrow, if he wants, and for Ian to even tag along for Barley's weekly Quests of Yore campaign.

"Boys, dinner!" Mom calls from downstairs. Blazey even comes up so she can nudge them down, scrambling up into Aeric's lap to get a few more cuddles.

"I guess that's the cue for us to go." Aeric packs up his stuff (as best as one can with a dragon in their lap).

"Let's wash up, first," Ian suggests, leading them into the restroom so they can wash their hands. Blazey, of course, is still trying to wrap herself around Aeric's legs, completely enamored with him. Well, it's definitely better than her _hating_ him, at least, even if her affection is more than she's ever lavished on Ian.

"Wow, smells great," Aeric compliments as they head downstairs. Barley looks like he's settling in, already changed out of his work uniform and back into his usual vest and shorts (this one is the tribute vest he made to Guinevere 1.0). Mom's sharing a bottle of wine with Colt as they take the meatballs and garlic bread out of the oven.

"Your stepdad's a centaur?" Aeric murmurs so only Ian can hear.

"And a cop," Ian adds, which has Aeric stiffening up.

"You must be Aeric!" Colt has his hair down, which shouldn't embarrass Ian, but, well... it kind of does. "You boys working hard up there?"

"Hardly working," Ian answers immediately, and Barley mouths along, far more sarcastically. "No, we, uh... got a lot of homework done, actually."

"Oh, that's great to hear," Mom pipes up, draining the pasta in the sink. "Are you a math geek, too, Aeric?"

"Um... more of a Physics geek," Aeric answers politely, then offers his hand to Colt. "It's nice to meet you, sir."

Colt doesn't correct him, totally fine with Aeric addressing him so formally as they shake hands. "Well, that's a mighty fine handshake you have there!" he compliments. "You look like a swimmer."

"My mom is," Aeric clarifies. "I'm actually the school's runningback."

"A sports man!" Oh, Colt definitely likes this. "A golden example for Ian here. You know, I used to be on the jousting team, way back in the day."

"I can see that," says Aeric, but to Ian, it sounds like a lie. Colt eats it up, though, giving his signature, neighing laugh. "What can I get'cha to drink?"

"Oh, just water, please," Aeric answers.

He turns to Barley, walking over to him on the couch. "Barley, really nice to see you again," he says in that same, polite tone, and it's honestly kind of funny how Aeric is a little _scared_ of his brother. Way more than Colt, anyway. He offers his hand again.

"Oh, no, good sir, we don't shake hands in this house," Barley replies, even though he takes his hand. Ian pales; please don't go there, Barley...

" _We wrestle like warriors_!" Barley cries. He went there, taking in Aeric by the hand and trying to put him in a chokehold.

" _Barley_!" Ian's dashing over to stop his brother from scaring off his boyfriend completely.

"You sure you want to go there, Barley?" Mom asks from the kitchen, calm as ever as she transfers the pasta into a serving bowl.

But Aeric's laughing, despite his initial surprise, and Barley's laughing along with him. Of course, kind of a moot point to wrestle Ian's completely fit boyfriend who knocks back other men for a living—it's hardly even a conflict, Aeric pinning him down by the time Ian gets over to them. Blazey makes her way to Barley, licking his face since it's right there.

"Alright, down girl." Ian snaps his fingers, and Blazey scrambles back to her lair. Luckily Barley is still laughing. "You really should have known he would have beaten you."

"I thought I might have a chance if I took him by surprise." Barley shrugs from the floor.

Aeric offers him a hand, and pulls Barley up so he can stand. Wow, the way his arm flexes while doing that... "A nice idea—unfortunately, I can bench about as much as you weigh."

"I'll say—you're built like a boulder." Barley punches Aeric lightly on the bicep before walking toward the kitchen. "You'd make quite the mighty warrior for our next LARP meetup."

"You LARP?" Aeric asks, grinning. He fixes his glasses, after being attacked so suddenly. "I've always wanted to, but I wouldn't know where to begin..."

"Oh, Sir Aeric, you are _missing out_!" Barley brags, opening the fridge to grab a Mountain Doom. "LARP is where the bravest of warriors prove their skills on the battlefield in an epic showdown of—"

" _Barley_ , we get it." Ian's pink from head to toe, he's sure. He gestures Aeric into a chair, even pulling it out for him. "I-I think we need to play a few Quests of Yore campaigns before that..."

"Oh, well—you're definitely free to join tomorrow." Barley hands Ian a can, before handing one to Aeric.

"No, thank you," Aeric declines politely, waving his hand. "Er, to the soda, not the game. That actually sounds like a lot of fun."

Barley settles next to Ian, taking the second Doom for himself, then nudges his shoulder. "Well, look at that, _Sir Iandore_ —even your boyfriend wants to play with me! You have no excuse, now."

"As long as it doesn't go _too_ late," says Ian. "It's a school night for us, and Aeric gets up at five on weekdays."

"Wow. Morning workout?" Mom places the pasta and sauce on the table. Red sauce isn't Ian's favorite (he likes a mix of red and white), but it smells great.

Aeric nods. "5K run around the neighborhood, then a swim with my mom. Breakfast, shower, and usually coffee before school," he explains.

"A man of discipline! See, Barley, you can learn from that example!" Colt comes in with the meatballs and garlic bread, while Mom starts handing out water.

"You never said anything that nice about Derek, or Greg..." Barley mumbles under his breath, crossing his arms. Only Ian can hear him.

No one starts eating until Mom sits down. "Wow, this all looks so delicious, Ms.—Laurel," Aeric corrects himself, allowing himself a whole piece of garlic bread, even. "Whole wheat pasta, homemade red sauce, and is that... lean ground griffin?"

"Ian mentioned your diet—I thought I'd accommodate," Mom explains. "We should all be eating a little healthier in this house, though, anyway. I even made the garlic bread with olive oil instead of butter."

"But Mom, warriors of yore would eat only the finest meats in the realms—" Barley starts.

"Warriors of yore didn't have smart phones and cars that kept them on their lazy butts," Mom rebukes, deadpanning. "Now hush up and eat your lean griffin. I worked very hard on this meal."

Barley grumbles a bit, but Ian notices he's pretty much scarfing down his food. Even he has to admit, while it all definitely tastes _healthy_ , it isn't necessarily bad. Maybe he can get used to it, even. Try something Aeric would normally eat when they go out just to see.

"Wow, these are probably the best meatballs I've had in a while," Aeric compliments. He's lapping it all up, grateful that Mom went through the trouble. "Thank you so much."

"Aeric, thank _you_ for forcing the creativity!" Mom shoots back, taking a sip of her wine. "You have to let me know what your parents make when they cook."

Aeric lists down all these insanely healthy meals that Ian realizes he usually has fried versions of, or versions that include more butter or chocolate. Colt and Mom nod along, interested in what he has to say. Ian can't believe it: his family... _likes_ his boyfriend. It's not that awkward, though looking over he can tell that Aeric's ears are flushed a little pinker than usual, and he cleans his glasses on his shirt once or twice. Ian nudges Aeric's foot with his own under the table, a silent assurance that he's doing just fine and there's nothing to worry about.

Barley asks Aeric more about sports, even, and that's a subject Colt gets in on, too. It's the most Barley and Colt have ever gotten along, as Aeric recounts his favorite moments from past games. Ian's quiet during this, still not really understanding the game very well, but some words are starting to sound more familiar: "pass," "interception," "touchdown." The basics, anyway. He just cheers when he sees the cheerleaders or Parthenope doing it.

"You should all come to a game sometime!" says Aeric, excited. Ian almost chokes on his Mountain Doom, eyes wide. "They're so much fun."

This time, Ian's nudge to his foot is more forceful, but it's not like Aeric can take back what he said.

"Oh, man, that would be awesome!" Barley cries. Immediately Ian can picture it, and it's not pretty: Barley, loud and dressed up _as a dragon_ to cheer the team on; Mom, taking endless amounts of pictures hoping to see the two of them together; Colt... being there. "Too bad I work most Friday nights; it's the Manticore's busiest time of the week."

"Same with the force!" Colt chimes in. "Maybe one day our schedules will work out."

Oh, thank the gods. Ian can breathe a sigh of relief—for now. When does the season end, again?

"Bummer," Aeric huffs, taking another huge bite of pasta. He's clearly a little ignorant to the whole thing.

The conversation still stays pretty normal: Colt asks how they met, and Aeric answers with how he started to notice Ian after The Incident, and how if he didn't act then, someone else definitely would have flirted with Ian (so not true, but _that's_ why Aeric wanted to talk to him? 'Cause _Aeric_ thought _he_ was the popular one?). But the sincerity is there in his eyes again, made bigger with his glasses, and Ian hides his flush as he spears another bite of pasta into his mouth.

Mom asks about his family, and as Ian figures, Aeric gushes about his mom for a while, how much she helped him as a kid, how much she helped his dad. Ian doesn't think he's ever seen anyone talk about their parent the way Aeric talks about Della—honestly it's probably a little overcompensation for not having a mom for such a long time, and Ian kind of gets that.

"Oh, Wilden would have _loved_ your eyes," Mom sighs, getting a little sentimental. "He almost had this... _obsession_ with the color purple, I think. Used to dress Barley up in it all the time as a baby."

Aeric pauses, unsure what to say. And Ian specifically warned her not to bring it up, yet... he can't really blame her, when it's something that reminds her of Dad. "Um... thank you," he says politely instead, sipping his water. "I know it's pretty rare for elves..."

"No shame in that!" Barley booms, looking over the table to Aeric. "Purple is _royalty_ —a blessed honor to wear it at all times! Seriously, though, it's super cool. You pull it off better than I do, and I dunno if you know this, but I make pretty much _anything_ look great."

Flushing, Aeric just downs the rest of his water, and it's not a good flush. Ian's free hand reaches under the table to grip his elbow for a moment—his family didn't mean any harm with the comments.

So Ian instead chooses to answer Barley. "You do _not_!" he counters. "Remember that time with the lime green jacket at the secondhand store?"

"Hey, I said 'pretty much anything,' not 'everything'!"

"Sorry about the sibling bickering." Mom rolls her eyes affectionately. "We get a little loud here sometimes."

"No, it's okay, really." Aeric waves his hand, before spearing another meatball. "I don't have any siblings, so it's kind of... fun. Sometimes my place is a little too quiet..."

"Well, you're welcome here anytime, Aeric," says Mom, and that's enough for Ian to stop being annoyed with Barley for a moment to smile. He was hoping to hear that—his boyfriend has Mom's approval! And by extension, everyone's! He can even feel his ears perk up, even.

"Really?" Ian notices Aeric's ears have perked up a bit, too. "I mean, I wouldn't want to impose..."

"Sure!" Colt reiterates, smiling behind the mustache. "You're a fine, smart kid, keeping Ian on track with all his schoolwork. Might get him into a little bit of shape, too, eh?" When Colt winks at him, Ian shudders.

"With all due respect, sir, I think Ian looks just fine the way he is," says Aeric almost defensively, pushing up his glasses. "I'd only help him with that if he wanted me to."

Ian can't believe it—they survived family dinner. It doesn't matter how much secondhand embarrassment he received, from how brash Barley usually is to Mom bringing up his eyes... Aeric's welcome back to the house and everyone agrees his boyfriend is honestly pretty amazing (okay... _really_ amazing).

"I can help you with the dishes, Laurel," Aeric even offers, standing with a plate that looks like it's been licked clean, that's how much he enjoyed dinner. And polite and chivalrous to boot! How is Ian so lucky?

"Oh, no, you're our guest, and it's getting late." Mom's already at the sink, Colt helping her. "You can head on home before your parents start worrying about what time we eat." She laughs at her own silly joke.

"I suppose, if it's okay..." Aeric pushes his chair in. "Thank you for dinner, again. It really was delicious, and I had a great time."

"You're more than welcome," says Mom, but her tone changes when she notices Barley starting to sneak off. "Oh, no you don't, Mister—you're on drying duty!"

"Damn," Barley mumbles under his breath, before slowly heading back to the kitchen in defeat. "I'm gonna need an upstanding boyfriend or girlfriend just to get off kitchen duty..."

Ian just shrugs as he follows Aeric upstairs to gather his things. "Well, we survived family dinner together!" he sighs, like a huge weight has been lifted off his shoulders.

"They're all really great," Aeric assures, kissing Ian's forehead. "You're so lucky to have them."

He really means a loving bio mom and fun big brother. And... yeah, he is, even if it seems like their only purpose in life is to embarrass the crap out of him. "Yeah, you're right," he agrees, pulling Aeric in for a hug. "Your family is also pretty awesome, too, though."

"They are." Aeric nods. They stay like that for another moment, just hugging, when Aeric realizes... "Hey, we should commemorate this."

Pulling out his phone, he takes a quick shot of them, pressed cheek to cheek in a hug, the cork board as their backdrop. It's perfect. "First Family Dinner," he captions, before posting and sending to Ian. "First picture I'm gonna print out when I get home."

"I love it," says Ian, hugging Aeric again. "It's perfect."

The dishes are done by the time they go back downstairs. Blazey comes back from her lair just to say goodbye, and Aeric promises to see her again soon.

As promised, Mom pulls Aeric into a huge hug. "Don't be a stranger, now, you hear?" It would be almost bone crushing if Aeric weren't so huge.

Colt shakes his hand. "Good to meet you, Aeric. Really doing a great job helping Ian out of that shell."

"Nice to meet you, too, sir." Aeric just nods; he's not sure what to say to the other thing.

Barley's hug, surprisingly, is even bigger than Mom's. "Seriously! I'm all for the two of you joining in on the festivities tomorrow! It's gonna be epic!"

Right, Quests of Yore... Ian is a little hesitant, but with Aeric there, it should be way more bearable. He walks Aeric out to his car slowly. "You really wanna hang with Barley's campaign tomorrow?" he asks again, just to make sure.

"I _do_ wanna learn how to play," Aeric replies, fishing for his keys out of his pocket. "And if you're there, that's the best bonus."

Well, how is he supposed to back out of that? Looks like he's playing Quests of Yore with Barley. "Text me when you get home?" he asks.

"Always." It looks like they're just gonna leave it like that, at a polite hug goodnight. Aeric even dares to kiss his cheek briefly.

But Ian bites his lip for a moment, contemplating a moment, then pulls Aeric down for a proper kiss instead, going so far as to cup his jaw. Aeric is a little hesitant at first, but kisses back quickly, even smiling into it.

He knows his family is looking on from the window. And now they know _just_ how much Ian likes his boyfriend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another long chapter for you all where I get too carried away with how much I love my own ship. How indulgent I am. But everyone deserves tooth-rotting fluff.
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are insanely appreciated.


	7. First Workout

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aeric invites Ian over to help him work out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The OC names dropped in the last chapter are Derek, who belongs to jackerydkery, and Greg, who belongs to magicalboyo. You can find their absolutely amazing art on Twitter!
> 
> It's amazing people are finding this story while having to filter through all the crap littered within the rest of the fandom. You're all the real MVPs.

_**First Workout** _

" _I like your soul when it's shirtless, 'cause it's just like mine._

_I like your hands when they're nervous, and they're all over mine, like, yeah."_

—" **Take Off All Your Cool" Sabrina Carpenter**

**Aeric**

Now that meeting their families is done and out of the way, it's like they're stronger than ever. It's like nothing can get to them, knowing Mom and Dad adore Ian, and that he has Barley's and Laurel's approval. When he gets home, even, now Mom knows to ask how Ian's doing, too, and also extend the invitation for him to visit.

The season keeps going amazingly well—they're good enough to go regional, if they win this next away game. Aeric assures Ian that he doesn't have to come out to see him when they play those further away games (though nothing is going to go as far as Crystalwood, and it won't be like they'll be gone for long—a day at most, and Aeric would definitely FaceTime Ian for at least half of it). It seems more and more likely, and Ian is super excited, at least, given it'll look great on his Willowdale application, might even make him look good to scouts and recruiters...

But he doesn't want to think about that until he has to; right now, he should just play a good game, hang out with his boyfriend, and get to know him even better. The decoration of his room starts soon after Ian suggests it, Aeric driving to the store the weekend after to grab star lights and little clips for the pictures he wants to hang from them. It gets put on hold for their first Quests of Yore campaign, which is... fun. But a little confusing. Barley's friends are cool, though, and Aeric likes that Barley likes to dress up for the occasion, even if everyone is just drinking Mountain Doom and cheap beer, and snacking on cheese puffs.

Still, he's proud of the way his room looks now: more pictures of him and Ian hanging from the lights that he's printed from his phone (a lot of which have been saved from his and Ian's social media stories—he's just so adorable). He even gives Ian a few to hang in his locker, or his cork board, which Ian smiles and accepts with a kiss to his cheek.

"I love them, thanks!" And Aeric's sure his grin is insanely dorky—he can't help it around Ian. "Even if I look a little silly in a few of them."

"Nah, you're cute in all of them," Aeric assures, wrapping an arm around his shoulder before they walk off to lunch. "Makes me happy to be in my room now, honestly." It even gives him a little more motivation when he works out—a focus for him, when he's not trying to read for school.

During their weekly study sessions on Tuesdays at Sirens, that's when Aeric gets the stupid idea. They're sitting in their usual booth, baristas more than happy to spell Ian's name right, so his name is usually the one that's given now. They're holding hands best they can across the table, reading respective textbooks and scribbling in binders and notebooks. They're also sharing headphones, listening to Aeric's study playlist specifically for Sirens: calming, lo-fi hip-hop beats—all instrumental, and Ian seems to like the tracks that include more piano-driven melodies.

"Hey, babe?" Aeric asks, thumb rubbing over Ian's lightly.

"Hm?" Ian doesn't look up from his quadratic equations.

"You wanna come over Saturday and help me work out?"

That gets Ian to look up, his brows furrowed in confusion. "I'd never be able to keep up with you," he points out. "I mean, you probably can run a mile in six minutes."

He can. "Um... I guess what I mean is..." Why is it so weird to say out loud? He's flushing, looking at Ian's he's just so _cute_. How is he supposed to say he'd think it'd be a cute idea for Ian to hold his feet down while he's doing sit-ups, just so he can kiss him when he comes up? "Do you know what a spotter is?"

Ian shakes his head, then takes a sip of his iced blended.

"Oh. Well, they pretty much just watch what someone's doing when they exercise, that their form is right and all that..."

"But I don't know any of that," Ian confesses. "I'm just... y-your boyfriend."

Oh, if that doesn't make his heart leap every time he says it—! But that's not the point. Aeric puts down his pencil to push his glasses up his nose—he'll be damned if he has to let go of Ian's hand at any point (and it's nice that Ian does the same). "Well... _yes_. I think you'd be really good motivation, and you're probably _way_ more helpful than you think. Just like how you're a great study partner."

"But that's different," Ian points out, his eyes getting wider. "I'm _good_ at math and school stuff. But exercise? I mean... I still take PE!"

He's really not that great at it, either, from what Aeric's seen. But he's determined to at least _try_ this dumb idea. "You just have to help count, and time some stuff," he promises, though there's definitely more to it than just that. But maybe if he makes it seem easy enough... "I have a pool—we can even go swimming if you want!"

Ian purses his lips, thinking it over a moment. He eyes Aeric's biceps briefly (yes, he knows how often his arms strain from his shirt sleeves—he'd hate it more, but Ian seems to love it). "I have to say no to the swimming, but... Will your hair be in a bun?" he asks.

Now that's a little weird. "Ian, you know I have to wear it up when I do anything crazy physical." The way his hair is, it'll just fall in his face, and he remembers what it looked like freshman year, all short (and shudders—never again). Still, the bun is just a _slight_ upgrade. It still probably makes him look pretentious.

"Okay, I'll come over and help," he decides, smiling. It's not... the _bun_ , is it? "But wait, babe, isn't Tina doing that mid-season party at Gregor's that night?"

"Eh." Aeric shrugs. "I'd rather study with you and take you out to dinner later or something. There will always be another party."

That smile only grows bigger; Aeric likes how Ian's two front teeth are bigger than the rest. "Um... actually, there's that movie that comes out this weekend?"

Right, the one Ian won't stop talking about: some comedy series of movies that he and Barley have kept up with since they were kids. "Dinner and a movie," Aeric says. "Only if we get most of our homework done on time, right?" It sounds so much better than some huge party half the school will be attending. A nice, intimate day and night with his boyfriend, with something short enough that'll hold his attention okay...

"Even if I'm not good at squatting—"

"Spotting, babe," Aeric corrects gently.

"Well... Even if—I think I'm pretty good at keeping you on track with your homework."

"Without music, even, sometimes." Even Aeric is amazed. Sometimes he's just motivated by himself because he knows it'll make Ian happy. Of course, being focused enough to make a list of what to do as soon as he can think it? That's the next step.

"Hey, nothing wrong with that." Ian gestures to his ear. "This is a pretty great mix. It's... relaxing, but keeps me pumped enough to keep working."

This is the most low-key playlist he has—taking a note from Ian's taste in music and trying to tailor it for both of them. Something between the heavy beats of EDM and the tranquility of folk. "I'll send it to you later," he promises. "If you want."

"Oh, I definitely want." He squeezes Aeric's hand for emphasis. "Now come on, I wanna get as much as we can done before the weekend."

That logic makes no sense, given they'll be assigned more on Friday, but who is Aeric to say no to his boyfriend?

* * *

Aeric hopes his room looks okay, when he's prepping late Friday night. The star lights, when they're the only ones on, give his room this gorgeous, romantic glow that he can't wait to share, and all the pictures of them hung up on string look amazing. He's able to fall asleep even quicker when they're on, he's noticed in this past week he's had them up, and his parents are totally cool with the new change—well, Mom seeing a picture of it so she doesn't have to lug her whole water tank upstairs.

"Well, looks like you have a creative bone in you, after all!" she compliments, kissing his forehead. "Ian's gonna love it."

He wakes up on time, eight AM, to the sound of his gentle alarm. Ian's coming over after breakfast, and as Aeric rubs the sleep from his eyes before grabbing his glasses. That's enough time to fit in a run before his own breakfast. He changes into a loose tank and sweatpants (the ones with the huge pockets for his phone, of course) before brushing his teeth, and pulling his hair back into a bun before washing his face. With Ian coming over, Mom says he can skip the swim today, but that means extending the run by a few more blocks.

Aeric downs water from the bottle he left in the fridge, the cold waking him right up as he leaves his glasses on the counter. Fill it back up, leave it in the fridge for afterward. He puts on his Saturday run playlist, a little less energized than his weekday one, only because he actually gets to _sleep in_ for a few extra hours and stretches at the doorway to warm up.

Running has always been a way for Aeric to zone out, to forget abut everything except the way he breathes, the rhythmic pace of each step trying to match the pumping beats of his music. The waves he gives to familiar neighbors as he passes give him a sense of familiarity—a sense of control over himself. Minutes pass like seconds; before he knows it, he's circled these blocks enough to make his lungs burn, working up a great sweat. There's a text he gets during the run, and even though he knows it's Ian, Aeric has to ignore it for the time being (which takes way more energy than the intensity of the run).

When he gets back home about a half hour later (maybe less? He can't tell), Dad's on the stove, cooking buckwheat pancakes, and Mom's cutting up fruit to add on as toppings, as opposed to syrup.

"Good run?" Aeric still has his headphones in, but he reads his mom's lips clearly.

"Yeah." Aeric exhales, turning off the music as he grabs his water from the fridge. Ah—he's been aching for this. Nothing is more satisfying than hydrating up after a run, or a game. Checking his phone, though, he realizes he's gonna have to scarf down his pancakes before Ian gets here.

"I keep telling you to put them in the case when you go for a run," Mom chastises, handing Aeric back his glasses. "These thin little things are gonna break before you know it, and that's two hundred out of pocket if insurance doesn't cover it!"

She used to say the same thing about his retainer, and he's been wearing glasses since she's known him (never broken or misplaced). Aeric just wipes his forehead with the collar of his shirt and slides them back up his nose before grabbing some fresh pancakes. "Ian will be on his way soon," he points out instead, to change the subject.

"That's not getting you out of doing the dishes," Dad pipes up, grabbing a plate for Mom.

Damn, he thought that might have worked.

* * *

This time, he's the one to answer the door when Ian knocks, much less sweaty, but by the end of this, a shower is _definitely_ in order if they still want to go out.

"Hey, you look great!" he compliments, ushering Ian inside with a kiss to his cheek.

"I'm just wearing jeans..." Ian says, gesturing to himself.

"You always look great," Aeric assures gently before closing the door.

"Ian, hi!" Mom and Dad stroll up to greet his boyfriend.

"You're helping Aeric work out today?" asks Dad.

"O-oh, yes, actually," Ian replies. "And then we're planning on seeing a movie tonight after homework, so I walked here."

"You're going to a movie instead of Tina's?" Mom blinks. "I'm... actually surprised—usually Aeric never throws away a shot at going to a party."

Flushing, Ian looks down at his shoes as he toes them off in the foyer. "I-I mean..."

"Oh, it's not a bad thing!" Mom corrects with a chuckle. "I'm actually really glad you keep him on track with schoolwork. You're the best influence he's had in a long time."

"O-oh, thanks." Now Ian's all embarrassed, and, well, so is Aeric.

"A-all right, well—we've got a lot to do, so we'll be up in my room!" Aeric grabs Ian's hand, two water bottles from the fridge, and takes Ian up before any more embarrassment can ensue.

"Call us if you need anything!" says Dad, before retreating back to his office.

Ian chuckles when Aeric closes the door, but pulls him into a proper kiss so he forgets what he's even going to say.

" _You_ look amazing," says Ian, and now that they're alone, that nervousness he had in front of his parents is _gone_.

Aeric smiles into the kiss. "Even the stupid bun?" he asks.

"I like your 'stupid bun,'" Ian replies, kissing him again. "I wish you'd wear it like this more often."

He... actually likes it? Aeric blinks, taking off his glasses. "I guess I'll keep it up for the movie," he decides. "What time is that?"

"We were gonna aim for the 7:15 show—I already bought our tickets and reserved seats."

"Which means we should be done with everything about 6:15 if we wanna make it on time... and what time is it now?"

Ian glances at his watch. "10:45?"

All right, they have plenty of time. Aeric nods. "Should be more than enough time to exercise and study and shower..."

"And kiss?" Ian looks up at him, his smile hopeful. It still astonishes Aeric just how cute he can look when he wants to be.

"And kiss." He punctuates it with a quick peck to his lips.

"So..." Ian places his backpack at the foot of Aeric's bed. "Wow, the lights and pictures look great, by the way... Do you have a list for what you normally work on?"

Well, he doesn't for Ian being here. "Um..." He places the water bottles on his desk, then grabs his exercise mat, towel, and foam roller. There's no real set number he really does or particular order; he just does whatever feels right, until he's tired of it. "We can make a list!"

"Babe..." Ian whines, taking out his notebook and pen from his backpack. "I thought you were prepared!"

Aeric flushes. "Might have been more preoccupied with the pictures and lights rather than coming up with a set schedule... I got distracted!"

Rolling his eyes affectionately, Ian takes a seat at the edge of the bed, pen perched. And while his eyesight really isn't the best, he can definitely still make out what his boyfriend is doing. "Well, you have to stretch first, right?" He scribbles that down.

Nodding, Aeric turns on his stereo to his normal at-home playlist. The volume is low, so he doesn't distract his parents downstairs if they're working (which is pretty much always), and to not be so overwhelming to Ian. "Gods, I wish I could remember to make lists," he sighs. "But then I get distracted making the lists by thinking about what should be _on_ the lists..."

Ian shrugs. "It's... my way of breaking down complex situations, into smaller things and tasks I can break down to be more manageable," he explains. "I don't think Barley knew I was on the spectrum until I was diagnosed, but he just helped me find the outlet when I'd shut down as a kid."

"Does anyone else outside your family know?" Aeric asks lowly, walking up to Ian.

Ian shakes his head. "Just you," he admits. "When I asked if you had ADHD, I thought it felt... right to finally tell someone. But I don't wanna be treated any differently for being..."

"Special?" Aeric completes instead of what Ian is going to say, leaning down to kiss the top of his head. "I get it. I guess we kind of work together well. Um... 45 sit-ups. Three reps."

" _45_?" Ian repeats, eyes wide. "You do this _every day_?"

"Just about." Aeric shrugs back. Right, Ian's not used to doing more than 15 in a given semester. "You get to hold my feet down this time. 50 push-ups. Five reps."

"Oh, my gods." But Ian writes it down. "No wonder you have arms... and _abs_..."

"Hey, I had to work for 'em." Aeric laughs. "For the last ten you can lay down on my back for more resistance," he says, following it up with a wink. "Only if you're comfortable with that."

"I-I'll see..." Ian points his chin at the pull-up bar on his doorframe. "How many of those?"

Aeric purses his lips. "Just 20," he decides. "It's a light day."

"This is _light_ for you?" Ian looks like he's about to faint just by hearing all of this.

Aeric names off a cool down mid-way stretch, then lists 20 lateral bounds, 30 seconds of base rotations, ten squat jumps, a three minute plank, and then mentions the little square of tape he made on the floor.

"I was about to ask about that," says Ian. "What _is_ it, exactly?"

" _Really_ weird, but it's kind of a homemade agility ladder," Aeric explains, but Ian looks confused, as he has about pretty much every exercise he's named.

"Okay, so as a runningback, I have to have quick feet," he elaborates. "Basically the square helps my quick stepping when I can't practice on the field, or outside."

He bets Ian still doesn't know what his position is, or his job on the team. "I-I thought you wanted me to help throw the ball or something," he says quietly.

"Aw, babe, you're so adorable!" To be honest, Aeric can't trust Ian to throw a ball just yet (maybe with magic). "If you want, I can stand across the room and you can toss playing cards! In the house, though, I don't wanna break anything." He's had to improvise—it's not like he exactly has an idea backyard, with how much room the pool takes up, and the front yard is too public now that he's a teenager that sometimes tries to study during a few of these exercises. He then names some cool down stretches, before opening the window and starting up the fan. "Any other questions, before we get started?"

"Um, I don't think so." Ian sets his notebook and pen on the bed before standing. "I'm just here to watch and count, right?"

"For the most part." Of course, once they get started on the sit-ups... Ian might get it. "Do you wanna stretch with me, at least?"

"Okay..." he says tentatively, but he starts to get into it when he imitates whatever Aeric does. And Aeric even helps with a few of them, explaining why stretches like this are important before a workout and why doing them correctly helps loosen up the muscles so further problems don't occur. Given Ian's PE class is thirty vastly different kids with one gym teacher, the one on one time is benefitting him. Hell, Ian doesn't even know a proper _calf_ stretch until Aeric demonstrates.

"Oh, _that's_ how my foot's supposed to go," Ian murmurs.

But Ian is surprisingly naturally flexible, able to reach beyond his toes and can pretty much do a split, even in jeans. Honestly, if he wanted, Aeric could see him doing yoga. It's taken him a while to get to being this flexible, and he's just trying to keep it up.

Aeric teaches Ian how to hold his feet down for sit-ups as he lays down on the mat, and he starts to count. After the first rep, he takes a bit of a break, still advising Ian to keep holding him, just in case.

"Shoot, should I time the pauses?" he asks.

"Nah, I don't need to be _that_ accurate," says Aeric. "About thirty seconds is fine before starting again."

The second set, that's when he leans a little more forward on the way up, as Ian's counting.

"Seventeen—" And Aeric kisses Ian quickly as he sits up, before laying back down.

"Wh-what was..." But Aeric is up again, kissing him.

"Eighteen," says Aeric, and keeps doing so until they finish the second rep.

"You okay, babe?" he asks, hoping he didn't take Ian _too_ much by surprise.

Ian catches on at this point. "Oh, so _that's_ why you wanted me to come over," he replies, and Aeric can hear the smirk in his voice. "You could have just said so."

"Well, you asked if there would be kissing. And there will definitely be a lot," Aeric promises, before starting the last set. This time Ian is prepared, leaning forward when Aeric comes up so they can kiss a little more properly. "Thirty-one."

"So what is this? Thirty-two. More motivation for your—thirty-three—workout?"

"Something like that—thirty-four." Aeric can finally feel a bit of the burn in his abs. The resistance Ian has on his feet is definitely better than when he's working out alone. "I thought the image of us kissing—thirty-five—like this was too cute to pass up. Thirty-six."

"Well, I like _this_ , at least—thirty-seven." Ian's smiling whenever he comes up, now, and the kisses are even a little longer. "Now I can't wait to help—thirty-eight—with the other exercises."

"Usually I'm trying—thirty-nine—to read during these if I can—forty. This is way better—forty-one."

When he gets to forty-five, Ian kisses him a little longer, taking his hands off the top of his feet. But Aeric pulls away for air a lot quicker than usual, especially to reach over and down some water. "Well, now I can commend you for doing a great job... where do you want me for push-ups?"

Given how small Ian is, doing push-ups right above him while he lays on the mat is no problem. Aeric kisses him briefly on the way down for the first forty, realizing that it actually makes him a little more breathless, given the energy he's putting into kissing his boyfriend. Luckily he hasn't been working up _that_ much of a sweat just yet, so he's not grossly dripping, or at that stage (how embarrassing would _that_ be). But here, he likes seeing Ian's smile, likes seeing his motivation to keep going _right there_ after every kiss. The ache in his arms doesn't even occur to him as much as Ian's presence.

"Wanna lay on my back for the last ten?" he asks, hopeful.

Ian contemplates a moment, but shakes his head. "Not yet," he decides. "Maybe... another time?"

Sure, makes sense, it's it's the first time they're trying this. But Aeric can't help but be just the _least_ bit disappointed. He can probably do it; he won't drop his boyfriend (most likely—and if he does, at least it isn't a long fall). Still, he doesn't force Ian into it. "Yeah, another time," he agrees, going back to kissing him on the way down for the last ten.

"You actually read for school while doing push-ups?" Ian asks, crawling back so he can sit up properly.

Aeric shrugs, downing more of his water. "It's something else to do so I can concentrate on it," he points out. "I dunno... it weirdly helps me focus?"

"It's not weird," Ian assures, checking off the next exercise.

They do the same with pull-ups—Ian holds onto Aeric's hips and kisses him on the way down, looking up at him in awe and admiration. What's pretty much normal for Aeric is so new to Ian, and it's the first time he realizes he's dating someone that _isn't_ used to working out on a near-daily basis. It's honestly kind of refreshing: there's no competition to see who can do the most reps, or who can run the fastest mile. It's just _Ian_ , counting him down and pretending like holding onto him is going to help a ton if he falls.

It's what Aeric definitely needs right now. A helper, rather than a judge. Support, rather than competition.

"You're doing amazingly well," Aeric assures when he takes his first real break, going downstairs to refill his water bottle.

"You're not having Ian working out with you, are you?" Mom asks when he comes down. She's working on her laptop at the dining room table. "He's kind of a twig. I wouldn't want him to snap in half!"

Aeric can't help but laugh at that. "Nah, he's just spotting," he assures, taking a long swig before refilling again. "Seems to be motivating him a bit, though, if he ever changes his mind."

"Well, nice to know you'd rather work on homework with him as opposed to going out all the time like before," she points out, pulling her hair back into a bun. "I could never keep up with you then. I feel like I'm starting to now."

He sighs, walking over just to kiss her cheek. "That's so not true." Aeric really can't help it when it comes to his mom; she's just so... amazing. "No matter what, you'll always be able to outswim me."

"Damn straight." She reaches up to pinch his cheek lightly. "Love ya, kid."

"Love you, too, Mom!" he calls as he runs upstairs to rejoin Ian.

Ian's making a new list now, it looks like. Probably of the homework they need to get done. "I heard that," he says, and is that a smirk? He just looks so blurry without his glasses, and Aeric can't tell.

"What, that I love my mom? I'll say it louder, you know." Like he ever _wouldn't_ be proud of his mom for everything she's done.

"I think it's really sweet, Aer."

Aeric pauses. That repeats in his head, and he can't really figure out why, at least... not at first. He just stares at Ian, mouth agape.

Ian's brows furrow, as he inclines a little closer. "Um, babe? You okay?" he asks, but his voice sounds distant, almost, like he's in a trance.

Once he gathers himself, Aeric shakes his head, then grins. "What did you call me?" he asks.

"'Babe'?" Ian repeats, raising a brow, but he knows that's not it. "Oh. 'Aer'? I dunno, it just kind of slipped, and if you—"

But Aeric pulls Ian into a tight hug, peppering his face with kisses. "No, I love it!" he assures, leaving smooches everywhere from his chin to his eyebrows. " No one's ever given me a nickname before!" Not that "Aeric" is tough to say, but...

"All right, all right, you huge _dork_!" Ian laughs, leaning into the embrace. "Now if you want me to ever call you that again, we should get back to this workout!"

Wow, Ian has a nickname for him now, and to Aeric, it's just so intimate for them. No one else is ever going to be able to call him that, ever, without him thinking about his boyfriend. He has a dumb grin on his face for practically the rest of his workout, even when things start to get a little more vigorous, with Ian unable to really kiss him in between reps. Ian likes him enough to help him with this. To call him something special that's just for them (because there's no way in hell anyone will get away with calling him that—it's only Ian's).

Ian's eyes are wide once he sees the quick footwork Aeric makes on the makeshift square, and Aeric shows off a little bit, even. Even though the sweat is dripping down his face at this point, Ian being here is motivation to push himself _just_ a little further.

"You know, if you want to run more elaborate things, we can always go to the park, or the beach," Ian suggests during the cool down. "I can even bring the staff to help you practice."

That's actually a great idea—usually Aeric is so busy thinking about reading that this hadn't really occurred to him. "Maybe when we're in the off-season? I'll definitely have more time then."

"Yeah! Whatever you need!" Is it just him, or is Ian eager to see him do this again?

Instead of grabbing the towel, Aeric just strips off his muggy shirt and wipes his face with it—it isn't the first time Ian's seen him shirtless after all, and he has nothing to hide. "Man, that sounds fun," he says, sighing. "I'm gonna go take a shower, and then we can start on homework, yeah? What time is it?"

"Um..." Is Ian pink? Is he licking his lips? Aeric can't tell. "12:30."

Oh, just on time. "Perfect." He smiles, grabbing some fresh clothes from his closet to change into—he's probably so gross by this point, and they _are_ planning to go out later. Aeric kisses Ian quickly. "You can set up while I'm in there, okay?"

"Okay," Ian squeaks. He doesn't sound like that because he's shirtless... right?

* * *

Aeric pulls his hair back into a bun after the shower, only because Ian likes it. Now he's back in a tee and jeans, comfortable enough to go out at a moment's notice, and smelling _so_ much better than before.

He barely finishes putting away his exercise equipment before there's a knock on the door, and Dad walks in.

"Aeric, your mom made roast griffin sandwiches on whole wheat, for lunch," he announces, balancing the large plate in one hand, glass in another. "Oh, and blended your protein shake while you were in the shower."

Aeric quickly puts on his glasses before scrambling up to his dad, grabbing the shake first. "Looks like you need help," he says with a chuckle. "How's work?"

"Can't complain on this contract much. I took a second off to bring this up to you both." He finally looks over at Ian. "There's a sandwich here for you, too, Ian, if you'd like."

"Oh, wow, thanks!" That's Ian's cue to get up and grab the plate—Mom even made a little fruit cup for them. "It looks delicious."

"Yeah, tell Mom thanks," Aeric reiterates, smiling. "Really, this is super thoughtful of you guys." They've never brought food up here before.

"Just bring your dishes down when you're finished." Dad waves his hand. "Don't work too hard, now, kids."

"We won't!" Ian calls as Dad leaves, closing the door behind him. "Wow, this looks... healthy."

Aeric laughs before taking a swig of his shake. "Yeah, well, we can't all have your quick metabolism, babe."

At least Ian doesn't deny it, just flushes as he takes dibs on a sandwich. "I'm trying to enjoy it while it lasts..."

"I might keep teasing," Aeric warns after taking a bite of his own. "But if it gets bad, just tell me to stop. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable."

Shaking his head, Ian grabs a piece of fruit. "It's okay," he assures. "Sometimes I just take things seriously, I guess?"

Pausing for a moment, Aeric reaches over and brushes a few of his curls back. "That's totally fine. I'll learn how to keep up to not say the wrong things—just like you'll learn how to understand the game one of these days."

Laughing, Ian takes another bite of his sandwich. "Now _that's_ asking too much of me."

Aeric shrugs, downing his protein shake. Seriously, what the hell does Mom put in here to make them actually taste good? It's nice, though, to have this low-key day with Ian and not feel the pressure of making himself look perfect, or feel like he has to be in front of people. Ian understands the need to try and help him focus—the only person Aeric's told about something he's not even completely sure he has. There's never been that level of trust he's had in anyone, not even Tina.

"So..." Ian says in between bites. "You still stumped on calculus?"

He's not, but he likes when Ian leans over to show him how he solves problems. "Just a little." A little white lie won't hurt anyone. "I'm doing a lot better, though."

Aeric changes the playlist to his homework one, the very one he and Ian were using to study on Tuesday, just over low speakers instead. As they finish up lunch, Ian sets up his books on the bed while Aeric heads down to wash dishes. Out of the corner of his eye he can see Mom in the pool, presumably taking some time to stretch her fins before going back to work—apparently an editor's job isn't done, either.

When he comes back up, Ian isn't on the bed; rather, he's looking at each of the pictures, engrossed in every small memory they've made in the past few months (how is it so close to spring already?). He takes a moment to smile at the doorframe, taking in his boyfriend, before striding up, wrapping his arms around his waist to pick him up easily.

Though he's initially surprised at first, Ian laughs, holding onto Aeric's arms. Gosh, he's lighter than some of the weights he uses in bench presses... "Aeric! You can't just—you big, dumb—" But he can't find the right words.

"Hey, just say the word and I'll put you down if you hate it!" Aeric laughs with him, pressing a brief kiss to his shoulder.

"I-I don't hate it," Ian confesses, turning his head so they're facing each other. "I like that you're so strong..." And he's not expecting it, but it turns into a deep kiss that absolutely sweeps Aeric away for a moment. Because even here, where he clearly has more physical strength, Ian still controls the kiss, puts Aeric under his spell to the point where he just... responds the way he wants.

He thinks it might go further, but when Ian pulls away, he bites his lip. "We... still have all that homework, if we wanna make the movie," he says lowly.

"Right..." Aeric gently sets Ian down, clearing his throat. "Sorry about that."

"No, it was fun!" Ian shoots him an assuring smile as he lays down on his bed, on his stomach. "I'm sure everyone in the group has been taking bets to see when it would happen."

"Who do you think won?" Aeric asks, raising a brow as he takes out his books.

They look at each other for a moment, then smile and say, " _Sadalia_!"

With the gentle music playing, with Ian keeping them on track with another list of what they should complete, with Aeric being free to jiggle his leg so he can focus, they start to breeze through their homework. When Ian reads for lit (and he's such a great reader—why does he think he's not?), Aeric grabs his weights to work on curls—a gentle activity to keep him concentrated.

"Babe?" Ian asks.

"Hm?"

"So why did the protagonist have to open the door?"

Ian does this, too—asks clarification questions to make sure Aeric is paying attention, and not letting his mind wander. "Because she suspected her stepfather was an accessory to her brother's murder," he replies quickly.

"Good." He leans over to kiss Aeric's cheek, before going back to reading. They answer questions, and Aeric's grateful there's no essay this week (a luxury that definitely won't last long). He continues his curls when Ian goes on to read for History.

"Does that feel good?" Ian asks, changing the subject for a moment.

"Does what?" He's a little confused.

"All the exercise—doesn't it hurt sometimes?"

"Sure." Aeric shrugs, moving to the other arm. "But the burn is kind of... motivation, at least for me. Lets me know I'm building muscle. I dunno how to explain it."

"Oh... okay." It doesn't seem to give Ian any clarification. "Well, there's a strength spell I wanted to try sometime, and I was hoping it'd be with you."

"Yeah—that'd be awesome." He's honestly a little bummed Ian didn't bring the staff, but... he doesn't seem to keen on being an all-powerful wizard right now, just a normal teenager. Aeric supposes there's time for that, much as he wants to learn everything he can about it.

The weights don't get put away until they move on to their respective math and science homework. These are their fields, where they excel: saving the easiest for last to make good on time. And that they are—enough to leave early and get good seats, get dinner, even, at the mall if they want. Aeric turns on the star lights, and Ian gasps. "Oh, my gosh..." he breathes, looking around. "These make the pictures stand out so much more..."

Aeric smiles. "Thanks for the idea. I just can't stop staring at them sometimes."

"Yeah, like now," Ian teases, reaching over to poke Aeric's shoulder with the eraser side of his pencil. "Come on, you only have one more problem set to do for Physics, and you're really good at that."

"What time is it?"

"4:45."

Okay... they can do this. Aeric takes a deep breath and gets back to work, but it's so difficult when Ian is behind him, _right there_... When he can just reach over and kiss him and just forget everything. And gods, does he want to. The music is a little too calming for him—but he starts jiggling his leg again and gets into the zone. These sets are easy, like an exercise. Ian being here is just an added bonus. He can hunch over and work.

"Hey..." Ian pats his shoulder. "I think at this point you've freed up tomorrow, too."

That's what happens with Ian. There's just something about wanting to do well by him, that makes Aeric push himself a little harder. It's why he's shown off a bit during this workout, kissing Ian when he can and trying not to mess up.

Ian's his motivation to do better.

"You're probably right." Aeric chuckles, taking off his glasses so he can rub his temples briefly. "Do we have time to get something to eat at the food court?" he asks.

Ian looks down at his watch again. "Honestly? We might have to buy overpriced nachos."

Sighing, Aeric stands up, and yep, it's dark outside. He closes the window. "This theatre at _least_ has flatbread, right? Salad, if I'm being hopeful?"

Ian does the bold thing after packing, and grabs Aeric's varsity jacket for himself. Of course, that's expected, but usually when it's been offered—he's expecting this now, and Aeric smirks, grabbing a cardigan for himself. "You are so cute, worrying about your diet. You know you can just swim off whatever you eat tomorrow. Or hell, everything you've done today? You have room to share a tub of popcorn."

Okay, he has a point. He sighs as he gathers his things, before going downstairs. "All right—I won't complain about what they have to eat." Saturday is usually his cheat day, anyway.

Mom and Dad are cooking dinner downstairs—grilled fish and rice by the smell of it.

"Heading to the movie now, kids?" Dad calls from the grill.

"Yup," says Aeric, nodding. "We're gonna eat there, and then I'm gonna drive Ian home after."

"Oh, sounds fun. I don't even remember the last time you went to a movie."

Aeric honestly can't remember, either. "Um... I guess it's been a while, Dad."

"Well, that doesn't matter." Mom rolls up to Ian so she can reach over and hug him again. "As long as you got your homework done, right?"

"We got a lot done, actually!" Ian exclaims, hugging Mom back. "Thanks so much for having me over, again."

"Like I said, you're _always_ welcome here, Ian." Mom shoots him an assuring smile. "Give our best to your family, okay?"

"Will do, thanks, Della." Ian's even getting more comfortable saying Mom's name! Hopefully it just gets easier from here.

Aeric kisses his mom's cheek. "All right, we don't wanna be late. Time to head out. Love you both."

"Love you, too!" They both call, as Aeric takes Ian's hand to lead him out of the house. "Have fun!" Given Ian bought the tickets, Aeric buys the popcorn (and there is flatbread—he goes for that for his makeshift dinner with a way too expensive bottle of water, Ian opting for... a hot dog with all the toppings, candy, and a large soda). When they find their seats, balancing everything in their arms as they make their way over sticky teens throwing popcorn at each other, as Aeric almost places his water in the cup holder in between them, Ian lifts the arm rest once his soda is settled next to him.

"I know it's a comedy, but..." He scoots closer to Aeric as he reaches back to silence his phone. "Is it okay if we cuddle up a bit?"

Aeric does the same, the only thing really in between them being the popcorn buckets as their fingers brush to grab kernels. Gods, it's been forever since he's had _theatre_ popcorn. And even though this screening is almost full, teens, families, and adults of all ages surrounding them for the shared experience, it feels like it's just the two of them. An added bonus is, after the homework and working out, Aeric is _just_ tired enough to focus completely on an hour and a half movie. "Yeah, that'd be great," he agrees.

Tina's party would just be starting right about now. If Aeric were there now, he'd probably be distant, texting Ian and missing him. Kids would file in, sure, all of them from school and ready to party for the weekend and insanely happy to mingle, but this is _so_ much better. Ian's right here, and Aeric can wrap an arm around his shoulder and pull him closer. "I had a lot of fun today," he adds on, kissing Ian's forehead. "Seriously. Better than pretty much all the parties I've been to lately, and the perfect way to end it."

"I did, too. I guess we should do this more often." Ian pulls the jacket tighter around himself. He even leans in and kisses Aeric, right then and there, in front of all these people, just as the lights are dimming.

Yeah, it's a comedic movie, but Aeric's smiling the whole time for a different reason.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter I wanted to be short, but boy howdy, I just can't seem to stop writing, can I?
> 
> It's been a trying week. Sorry this is late again.
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are greatly appreciated.


	8. First Sleepover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tina invites Ian to a sleepover, sans Aeric.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a chapter I honestly couldn't wait to write, and you'll probably see it later on with what I usually draw. Finally starting to get some more development in moving this story along!

_**First Sleepover** _

" _Yeah, we wildin' out, get a little messed up._

_Yeah, we cry and shout, make a little sweet love._

_Young hearts will never die."_

—" **Young Hearts" Embody & BAMBII**

**Ian**

"Ian, the girls and I are throwing a sleepover this Saturday night!" Tina flags him down on his way to PE, just after lunch. It's a week without a game, so Ian supposes Tina just wants to do... well, something.

"A sleepover?" Ian repeats. He's... never been to one. Or rather, he's never been invited to one. And the campouts Barley would drag him to in the living room don't really count, he doesn't think. "But... isn't it just for the cheerleaders?"

"Well... yeah." Tina shrugs, not denying it. "But I figured... you and Althea and Parthenope are _basically_ honorary cheerleaders at this point. You're even dating one of my best friends and someone on the team, so that counts, right?"

"Um... I guess." Ian's sure Tina saying _all_ the cheerleaders includes the guys, too. He's not sure if his mom's gonna agree. "I dunno what my mom will say, though..."

"Look, I'll text you my address," says Tina, already getting her phone out. "My big brother's in town for the weekend, if that'll make her feel better—so, you know... adult supervision!"

"Adult supervision" in Tina's world involves her brother buying alcohol for the beach party, from what Ian remembers. Then again, most of his friends will probably be there.

He adores Aeric, he really does... but this is _his_ time to shine, to be more confident, without his boyfriend. To get to know the more popular kids without Aeric introducing them.

"I'll ask." He nods, feeling Tina's text reach him in his back pocket. "You really want me there?"

"I really do!" Tina blinks up at him. Her makeup puts so much emphasis on her eye; it's impossible to miss. "It'd be so much more fun to get to know you _without_ Aeric—much as I love him."

Damn, she's right... the cheerleading squad doesn't know him without his boyfriend. Everything Tina says makes sense—is she just that good at convincing people?

Given how she's in the running for prom queen and head cheerleader, Ian knows that just answered his question.

"Let me know by Saturday morning!" Tina squeezes his shoulder before heading off. "I really hope you can come!"

"Y-yeah, see you..." Ian says lowly, knowing Tina can't hear him. He pulls out his phone, and surely enough, Tina's texted him her address.

He can do this—he can convince Mom and Barley that this is a great idea... right?

* * *

Ian tells himself he can't even tell Aeric he was invited _unless_ he gets the okay from Mom that it's okay to go. Of course, easier said than done when it comes to how often he and Aeric talk and text—and it's not a _secret_ , per se, but it still feels weird to keep something from his boyfriend.

 _And that feeling can go away_ , he tells himself, _if you just ask Mom now_.

Stupid brain, knowing things.

Thursday night over dishes, that's a good time to bring it up. That way he has a whole day to tell Tina, and already two days without saying anything to Aeric is just _weird_ , especially when usually, he feels like he can tell him anything.

"Um... Mom?" he asks timidly, while drying plates.

"Hm?" Mom doesn't look up from the suds.

"So... I got invited to a sleepover Saturday night..." he starts.

"With Aeric?" Mom asks, but it's in a skeptical tone. "How long have you two been dating, again?"

" _Mom_ , no!" Ian flushes, realizing the implication. He almost drops the plate in his hands. "I-I meant one of the cheerleaders invited me!"

"Oh." She goes back to washing. "All girls? That's a little odd."

"Um, I think the whole team is?" Crap, Ian never asked Tina to clarify. "The girls from my science class are going." At least, Sadalia and Althea are. Parthenope is still waiting to see if her parents will let her, but she's said it's most likely a yes. "Tina, who's the head cheerleader, said I'm pretty much part of the squad. It's at her place."

"I don't know..." Mom sighs. "It just seems a little odd."

It's then Ian realizes just how much he _wants_ to go now. He thought he'd be okay with rejection, but now the thought of it is devastating. "Please?" he asks. "I've never been invited to one before." Maybe if he plays the guilt card...

"But what about adult supervision? Are her parents going to be there?"

Since when has Mom cared so much about that? Barley's been able to go out since he was sixteen with very few questions asked. But then there's Colt, sitting on the couch, and Ian realizes why she's pulling the overprotective card all of a sudden.

"Um, her older brother is there!" Ian assures. "He's in college, so that's... responsible..." He trails off, because the look Mom's sporting isn't convincing her.

"Ian, sweetie, you've gotta listen to yourself," Mom scoffs, taking off her gloves. "I know you want to make new friends, but this might just be a little too adult for you. For all these kids."

"Well, Laurel, you might just be taking it at face value!" Is Colt... defending him? "Teenage slumber parties get a little rowdy, but that's all part of being a kid! What's her name, Ian?"

"Lorentina Galethorp?" He wonders what that has to do with anything.

"Galethorp?" Colt repeats. "Hm... we've had to investigate some noise complaints in that house a few times. Nice neighborhood, though."

"Ian..." Mom sighs, and now he knows there's no way. Of course Colt, in trying to be nice, ends up kind of ruining it. "This is all sounding a little suspicious, and I don't know if I'm comfortable with—"

"C'mon, Mom!" Barley comes out from his room, as if he's been listening in this whole time. "Ian's a _man_ now—a man with a boyfriend, who's just coming into his own! You never questioned me whenever I went out at his age."

"You're not your brother," Mom deadpans. "You also never went to a slumber party with a bunch of girls."

"Come on!" Barley repeats, wrapping an arm around Ian's shoulders. Great, he hasn't showered again—where's that water spell? "That spirited attitude is best used for real, perilous danger! Ian's not going on some grand quest full of danger and adventure—"

"Not really helping my case, Barley—"

"He's merely exploring the perils of high school, in safe environments! Should he not have the freedom as a man to join the cheerleaders at their sleepover? You never once questioned when I was out at his age!"

"Well, that's because all you did were those late night Quests of Yore campaigns—"

"Mom, this isn't much different! Just a different set of kids! Ian's got his boyfriend, and you've seen him face a dangerous dragon! Really, what's the worst that can happen to him out there?"

Mom sighs, actually thinking it over.

"Besides, Colt said it himself—he might even be in the area for a noise complaint! And I can even drop him off on the way to work Saturday night and pick him up in the morning!"

Ian blinks up at Barley, smiling. Hopefully this helps ease Mom a bit on it all—he does want to have fun with his friends, and the other cheerleaders... "Please?" he adds. "I'm _finally_ getting noticed at school for more than magic, and now I'm finally getting noticed outside of who I'm dating."

Looking over at Colt (why?), Mom asks, "What do you think, hon?"

Since when has it been his place to suddenly co-parent? But Ian shoots him a pleading look, the same he shoots at Aeric when he wants something (usually another kiss). Hopefully that helps.

The sudden question even has Colt a little flustered. "Oh, well, erm... Ian's a good kid, Laurel. Good friends, follows the rules, really nice boyfriend. I don't think there's much harm if he wants to have fun at a sleepover, when he's been through crazier stuff. Besides, we'll know if there's a noise complaint."

"Okay, okay, that's fine," Mom concedes, sighing. "You can go. _But_ I want an update when Barley drops you off and picks you up. And if there's _anything_ nefarious happening, I _will_ know about it. And _no magic_."

So it's basically a threat, but it's still a yes! "Thank you!" Ian moves from Barley's embrace to kiss Mom's cheek. "We'll all behave, I'm sure!"

Wow, Barley and Colt to the rescue. That's a first.

Once in bed, after texting Tina he can go, he checks the time. Aeric should be dozing off, but at least if he gets the text, Ian can get it out in the open. " _So I'm going to Tina's sleepover Saturday night_ ," he sends.

And then, Aeric's immediate response: " _What? You serious?_ _That's awesome_."

Maybe he can get some insight? " _What should I expect from them? Nothing too crazy, I hope_."

" _If it's just her brother 'chaperoning,' expect mixed drinks and a lot of music. And dancing. If it's too much, you can text me and I'll bail you out, no questions asked._ "

A night alone with Aeric if all goes wrong? Ian flushes, and he shouldn't think about that, right? Not in bed... Shaking his head, he texts back, " _Thanks, but I'd probably have to rely on Barley if that's the case_." Even if Aeric would be a little more preferred. " _It's my first sleepover, so I'm not sure what to expect... but I'm really excited_."

" _You'll have fun_ ," Aeric assures. " _Just don't let her pressure you into doing anything you don't want to do—not that she will. But she can be a little pushy if you don't firmly lay out your limits_."

Good to know. " _Thanks, I'll keep that in mind. And I'm sure the whole sleepover is gonna be on everyone's stories so you can keep up_." Ian looks at the time again, and sighs. " _Talk tomorrow?_ "

" _Sure thing_." Aeric sends back the kiss emoji. " _Sleep well_."

" _Night, babe_."

Of course, that's when Ian spends the next hour or so unable to doze off with a billion scenarios running through his mind. But he's dating Aeric—how scary can all the cheerleaders be?

* * *

Turns out, _very_.

Ian spends the next few days panicking about what to wear and what to expect from Aeric. Now that Parthenope is going, too, she's also up in arms about what to do, and they're both seemingly hopeless—but at least Ian will have a partner in crime. Althea, surprisingly, is calm, despite the fact that she's going to a sleepover with _all_ the cheerleaders.

Flannel bottoms or the ones with the stars? Plain or graphic tee? All these things matter, apparently, in what Parthenope calls "girl world," but Ian can't help but feel a little jealous— _she doesn't have to pick out pants_. Of course, if he doesn't leave now with Barley, Mom will have to drop him off, and then she'll see the disaster ensuing and drive him straight home. Ian stuffs the star bottoms and plain tee for safety in his duffel, figuring his usual apparel of jeans should cut it for most of the night.

When he's at Tina's door, after Barley gives him a pep talk about the responsibility of being a man and the perils of being the first to fall asleep at the slumber party, Ian doesn't feel any better. His palms are sweating, and without Aeric here, without magic, what if they don't find him fun or interesting? What if Tina tells Aeric and Aeric breaks up with him because of this?

"Wow," Barley whistles lowly. "Nice digs." Because unlike the rest of the neighborhood, Tina doesn't live in a mushroom like everyone else—she lives in a _castle_. Spires, old stone, a _gate_ , even. And sometimes the parties get loud enough for the officers to come around? "Yep, you'll definitely have fun tonight."

"U-um, maybe you should just drive me home—I can say I have a fever or something!" Ian wipes his hands on his jeans.

"Nope, no can do, little bro! I drive you home and I'm late for work. You're gonna have to call Mom on this one if that's the case."

Ian swallows thickly; he can't do that. "I-I'll just hang out at the Manticore's Tavern, then; I'm sure Corey will understand!" There's a low beat he can hear from inside.

"Hey." Barley's voice gets serious, placing a firm hand on Ian's shoulder. "Who crossed a bottomless pit without a rope?"

Sighing, Ian closes his eyes a moment. "Me."

"And _who_ fought off a cursed dragon just so I could see Dad one more time?"

"Me."

"And _who_ got his boyfriend all on his own, just by being himself?"

Ian can't help but smile at that. "Me," he repeats, rolling his eyes affectionately.

"Well, if you can do all that—Sir Iandore of Lightfoot—you can handle a bunch of cheerleaders that already like you. And if anything happens, I'll pop by after work and pick you up, no questions asked."

Okay... okay, fine. Ian nods, and reaches over to give Barley a proper hug over the dash. "I hate your stupid pep talks," he teases.

"You'll thank me for them one day. Now get out of Guinevere before I'm on mopping duty for being late!"

"Fine, I'm out already!" With the newfound confidence, Ian grabs his duffel and heads out of the car before he can think about it. Barley stalls just to make sure he gets inside safely, but once he rings the doorbell, there's that doubt again, creeping up. Tina _seemed_ excited that he was coming, but what if it was just a front? What if this is some weird initiation—

"Ian, you actually made it!" Tina squeals when she answers the door, ushering him inside with a hug. Ian can hear Guinevere driving off behind him—there's no turning back now.

But things _seem_ pretty casual right now. Other than the loud music, everyone is just sitting around, either in the main room or outside by the pool. He spots Parthenope outside, claiming a drink, and Althea's in the pool with a few other cheerleaders. He shyly waves back at whoever he passes—fifteen other faces he's starting to know from the games (and the other three are the girls in their friend group, of course). Tina shows him where he can leave his stuff, among all the other sparkly bags and few duffels from the male cheerleaders.

"Um... where's your brother?" he asks, peeking around. Tina's house is huge—no wonder she has parties so often, and why so many people itch to go. With the pool, and the vast, clean space to make for easier cleanup... so this was how the other half lived.

"Oh, he's in the guest house for the night, so we have the main house all to ourselves!" Tina points with her red cup to across the pool, where surely enough, there's _another_ mushroom house on property. If Tina's parents are lawyers, like Aeric says they are, then they must be some _damn_ good ones. And so much for the adult supervision he was promised. Still, he texts Mom that he's there safe (for now).

"Come on, let's get you something to drink!" Tina takes Ian's hand into the kitchen, where it seems like every alcoholic bottle known to man stands proudly on the marble island. Blinking, Ian doesn't know where to start.

"Um... punch is fine," he decides.

"Ooh, good idea! Tim, sweetie, do you mind making Ian a punch? You're the best mixer here!" Tina calls to the elf behind the island. He's a few inches taller than Ian, with cropped hair and a friendly smile.

"He's also the best tumbler," she adds, just to Ian. He can smell the alcohol on her breath, and the sun is just barely starting to set.

"Um, maybe not..." But over the music, his voice doesn't carry. Tim's probably added half the counter into his drink alone, before presenting it to Ian.

"To the night!" Tina calls, holding up her cup expectantly. "I'm _so_ glad you're here with us!"

Ian looks at the red concoction, a little nervous. He had two beers at the last party and didn't feel much; maybe one won't hurt here? Tina's smile is so huge—he's her guest, and she wants him to have a good time.

"T-to the night!" he decides, tapping his glass against hers.

It's a little bitter, but the sweetness of the punch cuts through. One definitely won't hurt, he thinks, taking another sip soon after

"I didn't bring a bathing suit," Ian points out when they're outside. Even still, would he really join in? Everyone looks so good and confident... like in those music videos that used to come up on TV every once in a while.

"That's fine, sweetie!" Tina sheds her wrap skirt to reveal a low cut bikini. "If you really want, you can swim in your boxers and wash 'em later, like some of the other guys." She points to one of the cyclops boys on the team, who's doing just that as he cannonballs into the pool.

"I'm good, thanks." He's not _that_ bold. Without magic, who knows if they'll even like him after tonight.

"Perfectly fine." Tina shrugs, finally taking her arm from around him. "I'm actually gonna go for a dip now that this is done." She shakes her now empty cup. "But if I don't see you having any fun, I'm gonna push you into the pool, got it?"

Maybe that's not just an idle threat. "Um... got it," he says, taking another sip. Of course, once Tina leaves, Ian takes a brief video of the scene to send to Aeric. He'd know what to do here...

" _Looks awesome_ ," Aeric replies. " _Having fun yet_?"

Ian replies with a selfie of him holding up his drink. " _Ask me at the end of this cup_."

" _If Tim mixed that, I'd be careful—his drinks can be lethal_ ," he warns.

Good to know. Ian's gonna have to stick to the one for now. So _that's_ the nice, warm feeling settling at the bottom of his stomach. He spots pizza arriving inside and decides to head for that—Barley said pizza or anything greasy (or any food, really) is the best way to balance out drinks.

Ian sends Aeric a picture of the pizza he's gotten. " _Chicken and pineapple! They had my favorite!_ "

Wait, does Aeric like pineapple on pizza? They've never split a pizza before. They've never even _talked_ about pizza much. What if he thinks that's so weird it's grounds for breaking up—

" _That's my favorite, too_!" What a relief, to see Aeric's handsome face shooting him a thumbs up. Ian saves it for his Aeric archives, to commemorate that they actually like the same pizza toppings.

"You're not gonna be on that thing all night, are you?" asks Sadalia from behind him.

Flushing, Ian pockets his phone. He supposes he can text Aeric later about how things are going. Maybe now focus up on making new friends here? "N-no," he says. "Just checking in with Aeric." Grabbing a few chips from a bowl, he adds that to his plate.

"Come on, be a little mysterious tonight!" Sadalia has one of the red cups, too, though with Tim absent, Ian is sure she mixed this herself. "You two _always_ know what's going on with each other. He can stand a few hours without knowing your every move."

Maybe... but Aeric is at least helping him navigate the night a bit. Maybe if Ian thinks to himself: "What Would Aeric Do?", he'll be a little less shy. Thankfully, he has some friends here with him. "Well, maybe for a little bit. But he's probably watching this _entire_ party off everyone's stories."

"I'm sure the whole team is." Sadalia rolls her eyes. "Cheering is so much fun, but there are a few downsides to everything."

"Like what?" Ian asks through his bite of pizza. But Sadalia doesn't elaborate. She just starts out to join the girls at the pool deck and he follows.

* * *

Being team captain means Tina is _insanely_ good at rounding everyone up for fun times and games, once the sun has set and everyone is a few drinks in. Ian's had two, and he can feel the sides of his vision blur a little bit. Anything anyone says makes him smile, and the music doesn't seem so blaring. There's that warm feeling in his stomach, and with his head just a little light, he feels like he's in a great place.

Like, when Parthenope giggles, he's giggling, too. Everyone's setting up sleeping bags in the main room and has changed into cute camisoles and boy shorts, but no one's near ready to sleep just yet. In fact, according to Tina, the night's just getting started. Someone puts on a channel on the TV that's just playing music videos from the top charts, and all the cheerleaders seem to know all the words to everything.

They compliment Ian's star pajama bottoms, and so far Ian hasn't said that much—yet they like him all on his own.

He doesn't know how they've all gotten into the main room, and he's in the center, with all eyes on him, shouting questions. They... genuinely want to know all about _him_ , without Aeric.

"How did you know you could do magic?" Tim pipes up.

"It's such a long story!" Ian chuckles. "You sure you all want to hear it?"

And that's when Ian realizes he should have never prompted a bunch of cheerleaders to cheer in response, because the uniformity genuinely scares him for a bit. Blinking, he takes a moment before he tells the story of his sixteenth birthday. Of course, it's a little out of order, and he goes off on a few tangents, and tells jokes that weren't there before, but their eyes are all glued to him, almost silent when Ian talks about Dad's legs ("He was _just legs_! I still have nightmares about it sometimes!"), and he even tears up a bit when he confesses that he gave up the chance to meet Dad so Barley could have some closure.

"That... was so beautiful." Evie, one of the faun cheerleaders, wipes a stray tear.

"You're, like, the best brother ever," Piper, a centaur, adds, nodding in agreement. "And Barley sounds so sweet!"

"No wonder Aeric adores you!" cries Tina, who's next to Ian and is lapping it all up.

"Aeric..." Ian smiles just thinking about his boyfriend. "He's really something special."

"Ooh, is he a good kisser?" asks Harlan, the cyclops Ian saw cannon balling into the pool earlier.

"Um, yes—?" Is this okay to answer?

"Is he good in bed?" someone else pipes up.

"Is he... what?" In this state, Ian doesn't get it just yet. "I mean... we've kissed on a bed."

"Oh, no, sweetie!" Tina tries to clarify, chuckling. "It's... oh, don't worry about it." She shoots a look out to the others. "Aeric's a good guy who's taking his time with you 'cause he likes you so much."

"Oh... _oh_." Now Ian gets it, and he flushes. Sure, when they've kissed, there's been a few heated moments, but nothing like _that_.

"Don't worry about it," Tina assures, smiling up at him. She's even more drinks in, and yet she wears it like a champ, like nothing can faze her. After a moment, she's even comprehensive enough to change the subject. "Everyone just wants to get to know you, 'cause... you're one of us, you know?"

The cheerleaders whoop in agreement.

"And so are these girls!" Tina points at Althea and Parthenope. "I mean, you just _bring_ the party here, honestly—I haven't had this much fun in a while!"

Is that the truth? Tina _always_ looks like she's having fun. But the inclusivity makes Ian feel... wanted. And he can read it on the other girls' faces. It's a sense of belonging. Of knowing that after tonight, Ian's going to have more numbers in his phone, more people who want to hang out with him because they _like_ him.

Aeric might have helped boost whatever popularity he was starting to get, but he sealed it all himself. And he can't help but feel proud.

Or maybe it's just the alcohol.

Tina regards him a little more critically, squinting her eye. Ian swallows thickly; what is she thinking? "Um... Tina?"

"I wanna give you a makeover," she decides, very assuredly. "You have such gorgeous features, Ian. And you're one of us now!"

An honorary cheerleader! There's the fluttering in his stomach, warm and assuring. But a makeover? "Would that even work... with me?" he asks. Sure, he's pretty skinny, but Tina just called him gorgeous. He takes in all the artistry that must have gone into Tina's face—on all the cheerleaders' faces. Even Sadalia. Even Parthenope. They're all so gorgeous in their own ways, and Ian can tell: Tina wants him to feel that, too.

"Yes!" Sadalia agrees, grinning. "Imagine Aeric's face seeing you? I bet you'd knock him right out!"

He _has_ always wanted to find a way to look a little more put together for Aeric—and what's really the harm? Everyone looks so _sincere_ on the idea, like they genuinely think this is great, and they want to see him look... pretty.

Ian nods. "Yeah... okay, let's do it!" he agrees, smiling.

Tina squeals, taking his hand. "Oh—I'm so glad! You're gonna look _amazing_ when I'm done with you!" Standing, she pulls Ian up and heads toward the stairs. "Everyone stay down here for the big reveal! But Sadalia, I'm gonna need your help."

"Um... okay!" Sadalia also stands, following Tina upstairs.

Tina's bathroom is huge, with more than enough room for the three of them, and more makeup than Ian's ever seen in his lifetime strewn about the counter. There's even a full length mirror on the door. She grabs the pillows from her room, and last year's cheerleading outfit. "Here, change into this," she orders, before closing the door for his privacy.

Ian takes a deep breath. It's just a skirt—what all the girls wear on Fridays. Althea wouldn't be caught dead in one, but as he strips down and slips into the uniform, he... likes it. He does a little twirl in front of the mirror, watches it flounce a bit. The breeze is even... kind of fun. Sure, jeans are nice and comfy, and so are his flannels, but this is different. In all the good ways.

Tina knocks. "You changed, sweetie?"

"Um... yeah! Is it time to come down yet?"

Laughing as she opens the door, Tina shakes her head. "Oh, no, Ian—we're just getting started. But you look so cute! Gosh, you're perfect for that outfit."

Ian can't help but agree; with the skirt resting at his waist, it gives off the illusion that he actually has hips.

"Wow, Ian..." Sadalia blinks, smiling. "You look great so far."

"Okay... I'm gonna get the palette I wanna use ready, but here." She shoves a razor and shaving cream into his arms. "For your legs."

"O-oh." He's only shaved a handful of times, and always under Barley's watch. But also his whole legs? "I-I've never really—"

"I'll help," Sadalia offers with a smile. "I do this, like, every other day."

Ian's eyes widen. "That often?" he asks, as she starts the tub.

"You get used to it." She shrugs. "Just another day in girl world."

Ian starts learning just _how much_ goes into girl world, as Sadalia talks him through shaving his legs. Luckily in this loosened state, he doesn't nick himself from sheer nervousness, though around his knees is where it's a little difficult. But there's apparently all this primping and buffing he's never known about—Tina pipes up that it takes her _an hour_ to get ready for school, to make sure her makeup and outfits are perfect—and she only has _one_ eye.

"Wow." Ian can't stop touching his legs when he's done; they're so smooth.

"Come here!" Tina's set up a whole palette on the bathroom floor, with all these products he's never seen. She's even set up pillows for them to sit and be comfortable.

When he sits, Tina hands him some lotion. "Put this on your legs to keep them smooth. And I have these!" she sings, holding up a pair of red pumps. "They'll make your legs look even better—and they're your best assets."

"My... legs?" Ian asks, confused as he rubs lotion onto his shins. They've always been so skinny to him... Maybe Tina sees something he can't?

"She's right," Sadalia agrees. "My legs are a little stumpy so I'm more suited for dance moves on the team, but yours are long and kind of perfect for short skirts and shorts. Show 'em off!"

He's always worn jeans, as long as he can remember... Blinking, he slips into the heels, though while sitting, he can't really tell. Heels would make him tall enough to kiss Aeric without going up on his toes, at least.

Tina gets to work moisturizing, exfoliating... plucking. "Ow!" he cries as she pulls hairs from just under his eyebrows. "How often do you do this?"

"Every week," she replies. "Though I usually go for a wax and maintain throughout with the tweezers."

"Gosh, that beauty is pain line is starting to make more sense..."

"You have _no_ idea," Sadalia chuckles, shaking her head.

Ian's back is to the mirror, so he has no idea what Tina is doing to his face, with all the colors and brushes. He just lets her work, following her sharp orders, turning his face when she asks, keeping his eyes closed until she insists it's okay. All the brushes and lining, and that weird mascara tube... it's _a lot_.

"Is it supposed to feel this heavy?" he asks, afraid to even touch his face now.

"Yup." Tina brushes over his face with blush. "Now hush, I'm almost done."

"He looks incredible!" Sadalia compliments from over her shoulder. "You've really outdone yourself!"

Now Ian's curious—does he even look like himself anymore? But then again, maybe that's just the point of a makeover.

"And... the finishing touch." Tina reaches over and ties a headband just behind his very forward curls. "Take a little bit to stand and get used to the heels."

Ian grips the edge of the counter and slowly stands. Tina's right, the heels are gonna take some getting used to. But his eyes widen as he stares at himself in the floorlength mirror—she really _has_ outdone herself! She made his eyes look huge, standing out with a sultry purple shadow and tasteful liner. His cheeks, somehow naturally flushed, but not taking away from his freckles. His lips have never even looked this kissable until now! And his _legs_! Tina's right; in he heels and this skirt, they're definitely his best asset, defined and long.

But he trips a bit, and Sadalia holds him steady. "You're gonna need a bit of practice," she points out. "But how do you feel?"

"I feel... amazing," he confesses. "No wonder you take so much pride in your work, and how you look."

Tina shrugs. "The perks and perils of being a woman, I suppose. It's why I make all the boys on the team go through a makeover: so they know how much work I put into my squad to make them feel special."

Ian _definitely_ has a newfound appreciation, that's for sure. Though he's not the hugest fan of all the makeup. But hell, he might even start wearing shorts, or a skirt, even? The heels, though—those are his favorite, just to see the way they make his legs look. He walks the length of the bathroom until he gets used to the feeling, definitely a fan of how they click against the shiny floor. Tina films the whole thing, and no doubt Aeric has seen him already. Hopefully he's okay with it.

"I think it's time to make your debut!" Tina announces, opening the door. "I need some intro music!"

Surprisingly, the team responds with a fun, upbeat number. But Ian's heart's pounding; Sadalia and Tina like how he looks (and even he does), but what if the rest make fun of him? What if this is all some prank and it's a huge joke and he's just—

Sadalia nudges him toward the stairs, and _everyone_ is cheering. Ian can't hear the individual comments over the dull roar, but they all sound positive as he slowly descends, holding onto the handrail for dear life so he doesn't trip.

Once he reaches the bottom, everyone scrambles to greet him in compliments, particularly about his legs and how great he looks in their uniform. Tim even pipes up that he should try out for the team next year, but Ian can't dance. Still, all the attention, everyone liking him just... because? Because he's him? This is a better surge of confidence than all of Barley's pep talks, good intentioned as they are.

"I was wondering why your phone was blowing up," says Parthenope, making it through the crowd to hand it to Ian. "I bet it's Aeric!"

"Ooh, what did he say?" he hears someone ask.

Heart pounding even faster (somehow), Ian opens up his phone. First text from Aeric: " _Hey, beautiful_ ," with three blue hearts. He reads it aloud with a grin.

Of course, this has the whole squad "aww"-ing about as much as they do for when Ian's in Aeric's varsity jacket. But Ian can't believe it! Aeric thinks he's... _beautiful_! Maybe he's always thought that, but now it's confirmed, thanks to Tina's makeover. For now, he only has time to text back a cute picture of himself with a heart in reply, but that compliment is enough to keep him on cloud... well, he's way past nine at this point.

It's a high he rides for the rest of the party, dancing away without a care with his new cheerleader friends, giggling over drinks and topic that would never be discussed on campus. There's always the off compliment of someone stating they can't stop looking at Ian, that _he's_ the center of attention for once, and it feels _amazing_. By the end of the night, he even feels more confident in twirling around in the short skirt, and he even gets more used to the heels, just _barely_ tripping over a few times (with everyone quick to help, of course).

He's one of them. And he didn't get there just because of magic or just because he's dating Aeric. Because he told his story and they still want to be his friend. The type of guy everyone remembers—like how they remember Dad.

And he's not the first to fall asleep—it's Piper, and thankfully no one draws on her face or any of the other horrors Barley told him might happen at a slumber party. But a few people do chuckle that she must be insanely tired to fall asleep at the very early time of... two in the morning.

As everyone else retires, Tina hands him a tub of cold cream and tissues. "What's this for?" Ian asks.

"For the makeup—otherwise it'll just clog up your pores and you'll break out," Tina explains. "And your pj's are still upstairs too. Unless you wanna sleep in a cheerleading uniform! They _are_ pretty comfy."

"Oh." It's just now Ian notices that every girl _is_ fresh-faced. There's just so much _work_ they have to put in just to go to, well, a slumber party. "But all your hard work..." She spent such a long time making him up.

Tina waves a dismissive hand. "It's just makeup, Ian. Best thing to do is just take pictures with _all_ the filters to commemorate it before taking it off, okay?"

"Okay..." Ian heads upstairs, kind of liking the little sway his hips have to do to walk in the heels properly. He wonders if Aeric would like it. And he's not the best at taking pictures of himself (he leaves that to Aeric, usually), but he takes some pretty decent ones to save, as well as a few full body shots—who knows if he's ever going to look this good again?

Since it's Saturday, Aeric might actually still be up, so Ian texts him as everything winds down downstairs, and he starts wiping off the makeup. " _The new look: weird or great?_ "

Lo and behold, Aeric answers, despite the fact that they're creeping in on three AM. " _Gorgeous_ ," he replies. " _The only thing is I wish I was there to see it_. _I bet you slayed in those heels_."

Ian splashes warm water on his face, to make sure _all_ the makeup is off. Even without the made up face, he still looks pretty good in the outfit.

Maybe enough to wear something like this again? Especially with Aeric's support. " _I mean, I still love jeans and sneakers and flannels. Being a guy and all that. But I might dip my toes into looking for a skirt or two_?"

" _I don't blame you. Tina made me shave my legs once just so I knew what grooming is like for them—and now I actually keep up with it sometimes_!"

Ian chuckles, reading it over. Honestly, he might make it a regular thing, if his legs feel _this_ good. " _I was really worried tonight about you not being there, but I actually had a lot of fun tonight_." In fact, it's a bit of a disappointment to take off the heels, like a fairy tale ending, or something. " _I was worried you might not like the new look_."

" _Me, not liking everything you wear? Impossible. But no matter what, it's always you under layers of makeup and skirts, and if you like it, you're still gorgeous no matter what. I meant it, though. You're beautiful. I couldn't take my eyes off of you."_

Ian sighs, changing back into his pj's. Hands down, he has the best boyfriend ever. The kind of guy who makes his heart flutter whenever he gets a text, or whenever they hold hands, or kiss.

Is this... what he thinks it may be? But Ian shakes his head; it has to be the alcohol talking, right?

" _I think you're beautiful, too_." Crap! That was so cheesy! Why didn't he think before sending it?

But Aeric always takes it in stride, so cool and collected. " _Thanks—but you have to know, I saved, like, all these screenshots from this party. I'm glad you're fitting in with everyone_."

Walking downstairs, he notices everyone's winding down in their sleeping bags. Tina has the TV on, a low hum with a movie everyone's seen before. Some girls are talking lowly amongst themselves. Parthenope has already passed out in her sleeping bag, which she placed right next to Ian's.

"I folded everything in the bathroom," he tells Tina, who's a little more off to the side.

She nods, settling in. "Thanks, sweetie. I'm so happy you had fun tonight."

"Me, too." And he also texts that to Aeric as he settles into his own sleeping bag.

Sadalia reaches over and squeezes his shoulder. "The fact that you were all here tonight made this party a hell of a lot better. I mean it," she assures. "I always thought I'd have to separate being a cheerleader with wanting to be a journalist, but... I'm glad I can be both at the same time, and you're all still my friends."

Ian smiles. "I like that, too. I like that me dating Aeric isn't keeping me separate from all of you, either."

"Hey, you're popular now. Embrace it." Sadalia rolls over, so she can get in a more comfortable position.

But Ian's still on his back, excited from it all. His phone lights up again.

" _You settling into bed now_?"

Ian can't help but picture Aeric in bed, texting him. It's one thing when it's at home; it's another at a sleepover. " _Yeah, everyone is dozing off. I was afraid I'd be the first one asleep, but now it looks like I'm one of the last_."

" _Whatever pranks someone told you they'd pull, that's not really Tina. She's a little crazy, but sincere_."

He's really starting to see that. She cares about her squad, on making sure everyone is having a great time, no matter what. And he can definitely see why she and Aeric have been friends for as long as they have. " _Well, now she makes me want to buy a skirt and heels_ ," he confesses. He can't stop thinking about it—some guys at school are a lot more open about that, oozing with confidence he wants to have.

" _I'm not a fan of the mall, but I'd stomach a whole day just to let you shop for what you want, and even carry the bags_ ," Aeric offers, with a winking emoji.

Ian bites back a laugh, not wanting to be loud enough to wake everyone. " _I'll think about that very tempting offer! But maybe in the morning. I'm tired all of a sudden._ " With the lights low, with everyone so quiet... Ian's starting to feel the drowsiness kick in.

" _Same here. I'm fighting to stay awake right now just to talk to you_."

It's always these little texts that have Ian's chest feeling light. He rolls over to his side, getting comfortable. " _Then I'll let you sleep, too, babe. Good night._ " And, of course, sends the blue heart, just for Aeric.

But then Aeric sends his last text, always wanting to have the last word. " _Good night, beautiful_."

Ian's almost cuddling with his phone when he dozes off, and he's pretty sure he's smiling in his sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This whole chapter is a screw you to most gender norms. They don't belong in the very inclusive Onward universe.
> 
> As always, kudos and comments are greatly appreciated.


	9. First Confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aeric has something he really wants to tell Ian.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally something nice and short for the boys, which I've been trying to aim for with a few of these (and failing miserably since they're all so episodic). But this is just one singular event, and something I absolutely couldn't wait to write.
> 
> Also the song here is pretty much THE one song to end all songs on this whole little playlist I've created. It IS Aeric about Ian. And I love it so much.

_**First Confession** _

" _Oh, honey_

_I'd walk through fire for you_

_Just let me adore you_

_Like it's the only thing I'll ever do."_

—" **Adore You" Harry Styles**

**Aeric**

It happens during what would normally be considered mundane for them.

It's just another weekend, studying at Aeric's house. Yet there's been a bit more of a change within Ian, ever since he's come back from Tina's party. There's this confidence he starts to exert in the halls when they're talking hand in hand. He starts mentioning heels that the cheerleaders wear to school, outfits they wear as he wonders if any of it would look good on him. Obviously he's embraced how good he looks in more feminine gear (and, well— _yeah_ , he really does), but when Aeric brings up going to the mall, or asking to borrow something of his mom's, he freezes and changes the subject.

So he hasn't come out about it, maybe out of embarrassment or thinking they might shun him for it. But from everything Aeric's gauged, Barley and Laurel seem pretty open to, well... everything. Colt, however, is where Aeric can see the problem—he hasn't really embraced the whole "stepdad" thing, since he joined the family so late. It's times like these that he has to remind himself just how special his mom is, and how so few people would embrace seemingly hopeless families like he and his dad, when he was a wild kid who had no idea how much _studying_ his dad had to do just to get where he is now.

Still, that more confident Ian bleeds over into everything: he greets more people he recognizes in the halls, is getting more vocal when it comes to group conversations. He's even quick to cheer rather loudly at games, even.

The best, of course, is when they're kissing, like they are right now.

Ian's started off with hesitance, in his lips quietly contemplating if what he's doing is right, if there's a technique he has to perfect (there is—but unfortunately it's not the same for everyone). Now, he finds this comfort in taking Aeric's face and pulling him in, making sure he has complete control of everything. He's the one who knows exactly when to take Aeric's glasses off before they start fogging up and getting in the way, how and when he wants to change the angle. Hell, Aeric had to even explain a hickey— _yes, that_ —to his mother last week.

To which—luckily for him—all she said was, "Huh. Didn't know he had it in him."

The feeling has always been there, honestly. There's always been this pull to Ian, ever since Aeric noticed him, and instead of growing (which, no doubt it has), it's just getting _louder_. It's pulsing in his head, bugging him, banging in his chest and his ears whenever he so much as _thinks_ about his boyfriend. It's an ache that can stop, a thirst he can quench, if he can just get it out.

Ian pulls back for air, and just to change the angle, nudging Aeric's face to the left before he dives in again. Those hands cup his jaw so surely that there's no way he's the same elf as he was last week, and he can't help but smile under the control. All his hands can do in return is wrap around Ian's lithe frame, pulling him in flush by the waist. When Ian straddles his lap like this, they're at equal height—and it's easier for him to do what he wants.

Aeric's always silent in these moments, because he knows if he says anything about it, Ian's going to seize up and stop, thinking too hard about it and spiraling into some crazed notion that he can't kiss (and he certainly can, way better than anyone else Aeric's known).

When it happens this time, the nagging feeling tugging at him, Aeric can't help but worry about Ian being unable to comprehend it; or worse, _reject_ it. It's such a new feeling, but strangely, he hears his mom in his ear—

" _I was so scared when your dad asked me to marry him, because I knew what it meant. I knew I wasn't just gaining a husband, but a son, too. And by that point, I loved you both—so much. There's always a fear of rejection when you give your heart to someone_."

It's getting to be too much. Mom and Dad are both out shopping for dinner tonight; they've been done with homework for a while and still have all this time stretched out before him. They've been dating for a few months now, even.

This time Aeric pulls away for air, and takes a deep breath. "Hey... Ian?" he asks lowly, his thumbs daring to skirt just underneath the hem of his flannel.

"Hm?" Ian's voice is distant, like he's still up in the air, floating with every happy thought off which they're still coasting.

"Can I tell you something?" Aeric needs him just a _little_ more grounded.

"Of course." But he's still a little far gone, those dark eyes half-lidded. Their noses brush briefly.

Okay, he's gotta just say it. Can't be worse than facing off against the Knights' QB just a couple of games ago. Rip it off like a bandage; pay for the consequences afterward. It's _so easy_ —he says it to Mom all the time.

"I love you," he confesses, making sure to say it slowly so Ian can process it. "And I've... never said that to anyone before."

Ian's smart enough to know what that means. Yeah, he tells his parents that on the daily, but for guys? Never. Not to the hot CIT he hooked up with a summer camp, or the few encounters he had with opposing teams during away games. This is _Ian Lightfoot_ , his enthralling, absolutely amazing boyfriend, who makes Aeric feel like absolutely anything is possible. Ian, who's still unlocking bits of himself he's never seen before. Ian, who's whip smart and can do magic. Who's braver than he thinks, and surpasses everything Aeric's ever assumed about him.

That's what makes the confession so scary. But it's there, out in the open, and the silence means Ian is processing it.

Of course, Aeric can't read that blank look, the sudden widening of those brown eyes. And maybe it's too much for Ian to take in, or maybe he needs to repeat it because that's just who he is, but the silence keeps growing longer and longer, and his heart is pounding so hard he can't hear anything else. Without his glasses, when Ian pulls away to think and glances aside, is too fuzzy for him to really take in.

One of Ian's hands moves from his jaw to his shoulder. The other is still playing with the ends of his longer strands at the back of his head. That's a good thing, right? That they're still in contact?

Swallowing, Aeric breaks the silence. "Uh... babe?" His voice cracks a bit. "Can you say something?"

 _Please_? Is it too much to ask, he wonders. No, he doesn't need any reciprocation, but just _any_ indication that this got through to him... That, at the very least, Aeric can just love him, and it's at least acknowledged, is good enough for him.

Ian doesn't have to love him back, because maybe it _is_ too soon and this is Ian's first relationship, and maybe it's just harder for him to open up in that way. But for Aeric, keeping it in is harder.

Ian finally looks back at Aeric, his smile shy as his posture tenses a little bit. But those eyes are as warm as ever. "I love you, too," he finally says, almost sighing it out in relief. "I was just afraid that it was too soon, or that you'd think it's crazy, or—"

Aeric shuts him up with a brief kiss, and the words repeat in his head. He holds Ian to him tighter, like there has to be some way they can slip closer together, even if they're already pressed flush. Is he shaking? Is Ian shaking? He's so happy he can't tell—but Ian loves him back! Forget Cloud Nine. They're so far past it, they're in another galaxy. _Aeric loves Ian; Ian loves Aeric_.

"No, it's..." Aeric shakes his head, his voice breathless because what else is there to say? But he has to assure Ian that what he's feeling is perfect. "I've been feeling like this for a while. And you know, now that the floodgates are open, I'm gonna keep saying it until you're sick of it."

There's a smile in this kiss, and he can feel it from Ian, too. There's this power in the vulnerability, that this confession has only made them grow stronger as a result.

Ian moves his hand up from his shoulder back up to Aeric's face, cupping his jaw with the same grip he's always had (gentle, with the slightest hint of hidden strength). And yet, there's something a little different about it he can't place—like there's a veil that's been lifted, a true freedom they've just unlocked together.

"I love you," he says, tightening his grip on Ian's waist.

Ian smiles, leaning into it, into him. "Not if I make you sick of it first," he challenges, and that smile twists into a promising smirk. "I love you, too."

And they're kissing again, deeper and far more passionately than before, delving more into this world they've created just for themselves. When they pull back for air, they reaffirm that love, in little whispers and murmurs only they can hear, to where Aeric can't tell how many times he's said it, or how many times Ian has—only that they can't seem to stop, and hearing those three little words just gets better and better every time it's uttered.

Gosh, if anyone found them annoying at school before—they're _really_ going to be sick of them now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They said the thing! And now I can finally stop holding back on all the feelings, because I'm pretty sure by the end of this these two are going to murder me with fluff.
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are greatly appreciated.


	10. First Conflict

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ian has an idea that doesn't sit too well with Aeric.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here's a chapter I definitely didn't want to write, can you tell? But every good story needs at least a little angst, and hopefully this is over with quickly so we can get to more fluff!
> 
> And some brotherly love, since I don't write Barley enough. But not like, THAT brotherly love, you sickos.

_**First Conflict** _

" _Woke up on the wrong side of you this morning._

_Said some things last night in the heat of the moment."_

—" **Out of Touch" Dove Cameron**

**Ian**

They can't stop saying they love each other.

There are numerous texts, from greetings to goodbyes every night, in parting when they leave for respective classes—in front of their friends, even. Normally Ian would care more about what everyone thinks about him, but that's all flown out the door.

Aeric loves him! Loves him because he's just himself, loves him now that he's finally confessed that he likes skirts and heels, loves him because he doesn't think he's a freak for doing magic.

The most amazing elf _loves_ him!

It means that he has to step up his game, right? Do something more than take some impromptu trip to the mall to buy a cute skirt that he wears to the last home game (the one that qualifies them for finals or regionals or whatever the hell it is where they have to take a weekend trip up to Crystalwood or something to play)?

Something only _he_ can give Aeric, now that they're in such a good place with their relationship.

When they win the game (and Ian isn't entirely putting it on the fact that he wore a skirt, for once, changed into once school was out, but he's not saying that _didn't_ motivate Aeric a little more), Ian's proud, for sure, of the team—but a whole weekend without Aeric? He needs to think of something to help or give.

So he goes to the Quests of Yore book (Volume Two). Maybe not with something perfect, but a promise. Something they can do when Aeric gets back, or might be able to help him out while he's gone.

There's an astral projection spell, but it's pretty advanced (almost on the same level as Arcane Lightning, and Ian hasn't been able to do _that_ since Dad and Barley were in danger that _one_ time). Still, that's something to try out, or at least bring up. Anything that would help Aeric at this away game (strength spell, anti-drowsiness spell, speed spell) is temporary and would require Ian to be there, but maybe something more long term?

Then he finds the locator spell, and he thinks about Aeric's birth mom.

Maybe if they just had a conversation, if he could just find her and she saw the amazing elf she gave birth to (even if Ian has no idea what she looks like), there could be cause for the start of a new chapter in their lives. Maybe she has all these regrets. Maybe she wants to meet Aeric, but she's too scared to even think of approaching. And maybe there's a need he doesn't even realize)) is there, that Ian can help bring out.

It's all he can think about, anyway. He probably has so many questions, and if Ian can just try and help provide those answers, well...

It's something, anyway.

The afternoon before Aeric leaves, that's when Ian decides he can bring it up (though he's not sure how to work it into conversation). It's the rare time he decides to bring the staff to school, but assures every teacher he won't use it—and makes good on that promise (much as his friends goad him to do _something_ ). Aeric, of course, is suspicious the whole day, but doesn't ask, just gives a slight eyebrow raise.

After school, Ian treats them to Sirens (skim latte for Aeric, iced blended for Ian—and for some reason spell his name "Eyandoor," which confuses him), before making their way to Aeric's house. Sure, there's still some homework they have to do, but with the team heading out of town for the weekend, teachers are being a little more lax than usual.

Once they're in Aeric's room, Ian notices the duffel sitting at the corner of the room, clothes and sports equipment tossed in haphazardly. Maybe he's prepared to leave for a weekend trip up to Crystalwood, but it sure doesn't really look like it.

He's barely paying attention to what they have to read for history. Aeric is pretty silent, his leg moving away to try and focus, his fingers twirling his pen. The pen twirling is something they definitely have in common. The study playlist Aeric made plays lowly, as white noise.

"There's gotta be some reason you brought the staff," Aeric finally points out, not looking up from their textbook. "Planning on surprising me with a new spell before I go?"

There's a teasing tone to his words, but it's as good a segue into Ian's suggestion. "Actually... yeah." Ian shifts from his stomach so he can sit up properly, grabbing the staff. He starts twirling it absentmindedly, before looking over to Aeric's cork board. The old, ripped family picture is now getting buried under printed pictures of the two of them. "I was looking in the Quests of Yore book, and I came across this spell that I think I want to try with you." He shuffles through his backpack to find the book, flipping to the page he has marked.

"'Locator Spell'?" asks Aeric, leaning over. He fixes his glasses up his nose before looking up at Ian. "But I haven't lost anything—at least, not that I really know of, other than a few socks..."

"Uh... well, Aer, I was thinking..." Come on, Ian, you can say it. He points his chin at the cork board. "The spell is amplified if you actually have an object that someone touched, and I was hoping maybe I could use it to find your birth mom."

Whatever smile Aeric wore a moment ago, immediately dissipates. "Ian..." he starts slowly.

But now Ian's getting a little more excited about the subject. "I know—it's a sore subject," he points out. "But I was thinking, maybe if she just _saw_ you, if you both talked—"

" _Ian_ ," Aeric tries again.

Ian's still talking over him. "Well, she could _see_ just how much you've accomplished, how smart and handsome you are, and _maybe_ there's a chance you could both patch things—"

" _Ian, enough_!" His voice raises angrily, enough for Ian to hush up, curling back. Aeric's standing now, gripping the back of his chair hard enough for his knuckles to pale. "I said not to bring her up again. You don't know how painful it is for me to think about."

"Well, I-I mean..." Ian slowly tucks the book inside his backpack, swallowing thickly. "I-I kind of do—I never knew my dad and you know that..."

"There's a difference between _dead_ and _abandoned_." He's speaking curtly, bottling up anger Ian's never seen in him before. "And you don't _get it_."

"Well... no," Ian admits, blinking. "I know there's a difference... but don't you want to meet her once? At least see her so she knows what she's missing?"

"Ian, I couldn't tell you the thing that made her leave," Aeric tries to explain, but he looks like he's about to explode. Ian knew he'd be hesitant, but this is so much worse than anything he anticipated... "Maybe she was mentally ill, maybe it was me, maybe it was my dad—but I was a _baby_. And I didn't have a mom for six years. And to a kid, that's all that matters on the playground, after school when they come to pick up their kids."

"Yeah, I _know_ ," Ian replies. After all, it's been the same with him, but whenever he saw kids with their dads, bonding. "I just want to help—"

"You also don't get the looks of shame my dad's been giving me—yeah, I know I tore up that picture a _long_ time ago, but let me tell you—that's 'cause I'm starting to look a _lot_ more like her. You look like your dad, but your mom's eyes get soft when she gets sentimental. They don't look away."

"You know, he could also come along—" He's still on that tangent.

"Oh, gods, I didn't think _you_ , of all people, would be so dense about this!" Aeric runs a shaky hand through his hair, his chuckle chilling. He sniffs, and Ian can see tears welling in those purple eyes. "Do you even _know_ how much that discredits Della—you know, my _real_ mom? The woman who _raised_ me, and actually put in the work? She _knew_ how broken my dad was, and she loved us anyway! I mean, it's like spitting in her face! I know it's 'cause your stepdad isn't the _best_ , but the good ones are out there, you know."

That comment is finally getting to Ian—that this is their first fight. Aeric has so much _anger_ inside him, and it's anger that's never come out before... until now. Ian forces himself to focus on his breathing—he will not cry here. The jab to Colt, while probably true, is still harsh. "I just want to help..." he repeats, at a whisper. "She might want to get to know you, but maybe she's _scared_."

"Well, then, that's not up to you, or me to force a meeting on her." Aeric sniffs again, stepping a little closer. "And look, I get the intention, I really do, Ian. But there's a fundamental difference between the woman who gave birth to me and your dad: he would have done _anything_ to be in your life, like put everything he had into a spell, on the _off_ chance it might work one day. _She_ couldn't wait to get out of mine."

Not his mom. The woman who gave birth to him. And unfortunately, that's an insanely good point he never considered. Ian's going to cry if he stays here any longer. "I-I should go," he says, looking down and gathering his backpack. "Good luck at the game."

"That's a good idea—" Aeric's voice is just as strained. They're both trying not to break down in front of each other. "I'll talk to you later."

But this time, Ian's not sure when _later_ even is. He grips the staff so tight just to keep himself in check and has to muster a quick goodbye to Della as he hears the door to Aeric's room slam shut. Somehow he knows the way home just by looking at his feet, counting the steps so he has something to concentrate on. Breaking down in the middle of the neighborhood is the _last_ thing he wants.

"Later" could mean tonight. Could mean tomorrow on the bus. It could be after the weekend, too. A whole weekend without talking to Aeric... Funny how he'd had sixteen whole years without this guy, and yet the thought of not talking to him for three whole days is the worst thought running through his mind.

Mom and Barley are home: Mom's on her old Aerobics workout, and Barley's making himself a snack. But Ian doesn't have the energy to say anything, or greet Blazey when she runs up. He just tosses the staff aside and runs upstairs, ignoring Mom's worried, "Ian? I thought you were at Aeric's until later?"

He just wanted to do something good, and Aeric didn't need to blow up at him like that! Ian flings himself face first onto his bed, clutching his pillow for dear life to muffle the sobs. Is it supposed to feel this icky, like his heart is heavy and he might throw up? The tears seem to wretch from his eyes almost unnaturally. His phone vibrates with a text, but Ian just throws it to the other side of the bed, facedown. He can't bare to look at his lockscreen, of he and Aeric pressed cheek to cheek for a smile when that's the last thing he feels right now.

He's calmed down a little bit, when he hears the knock at his door. "Hey, you okay?" asks Barley, gently.

Ian doesn't get up or say anything. What point is there? Obviously he's not fine, and he's not sure what to even say about it. He just shifts a bit in bed.

"I brought a snack." Ian feels the weight of the bed shift as Barley sits at the foot, sighing. "You and Aeric had a fight, huh?"

That gets Ian to finally look up at Barley, who's holding up a bag of cheese puffs. "H-how did you know?"

"Come on, I'm your big brother. Also you don't think I know a thing or two about relationship conflict?"

Ian sniffs, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. "I dunno..." He's never seen his brother yell at anyone before.

"Yeah, well... Maybe I can dispense some _brotherly_ advice." He taps Ian's side. "What happened, anyway? I thought he's going away for the weekend for some big away game and you wanted to spend a lot of time together."

"I-I wanted to do something nice for him." He reaches over for the bag, chomping on a cheese puff. "Since he said he loved me."

"He said that?" Barley smiles. "Ah, young love..."

"Yeah, well... I thought maybe he'd want to use this locator spell I found. So he could find his birth mom." Sighing, he grabs another puff. He could use a whole bag of these.

"Didn't she...? I mean, didn't you mention..."

Ian finally has the energy to sit up, and he nods. "Yeah, but I dunno... seemed like a good gesture—until he blew up at me."

"I mean, do you know anything _about_ her outside of... you know. Her leaving?"

"No." He shakes his head. "Aeric doesn't like to bring her up, so I thought, just maybe—you know..." Why can't he find the words? Why is it not coming to him?

"A noble cause, for a noble mage." Barley claps Ian's shoulder lightly. "But your logic is totally screwed there, bro."

"What?" Ian sniffs again. "I thought it was something he might..."

"Yeah, well, you kind of sprung it on him out of nowhere, didn't ya?" Barley points out, despite how little he knows. "On the day before he's going out of town without you, for a big game that's totally stressing him out _on top_ of your less than stellar spell proposal?"

How could he not see how screwed his whole plan was now that Barley is pointing out the absolute stupidity of it all? Is he really that blind? Ian buries his face in his hands and groans. "I'm an idiot," he groans.

"Well..." Barley actually hesitates, and that only confirms it. "You're _not_. But that was a pretty dumb move. His mom's not our dad."

Aeric's words ring in Ian's head, about how to him, it was always abandonment. There was no reassurance that she would have stayed if she had just gotten to know Aeric. Hell, he was _a part of her_ , and yet she severed that connection completely. Ian thinks back to how Dad, even just being legs, was _so excited_ just to tap his foot against his. A weird way of meeting, but there was never any indication that Dad didn't want to be with them.

Aeric didn't have someone like Barley in the beginning, who had always been there and understood immediately. He had to wait for his mom.

"You also didn't _talk_ to him first," Barley continues, grabbing the snack bag back and munching on another puff. "Get to know just why there was a lot of resentment besides her just leaving, which is a shitty enough thing on its own."

Barley's not really one for cursing, especially around Ian, so his eyes widen at how casually he drops it. "I-I mean, what I knew before... she probably wasn't ready to have kids, and Aeric apparently looks a lot like her."

"Well, then you're just going off conjecture," says Barley, mouth full. "You didn't talk to his dad about their relationship, didn't try to ask Aeric anything else he might know or _why_ he's so angry... you just jumped straight to conclusions without communicating—and that's, like, the _most_ important thing in any relationship."

"Oh." It's strange... Ian's never really seen Barley with any one person for more than a bit at a time, and yet he knows so much. Then again, he's three years older. Hindsight probably has a lot to do with it, as well as how much he had to mature once Dad died... "I guess... I was so caught up in myself that I thought I had to do something that crazy for him, something only _I_ could do."

"Look, I'm not saying it's all your fault, because clearly Aeric's gotta work through some anger before he can talk about his birth mom again, and he's just kind of... hidden it for all these years," Barley explains. "He could have been a little more patient and understanding. But you're both kids who are still learning about yourselves and your relationship. I don't think it's something you'll break up over."

That's assuring. And they didn't say anything about taking a break, just that they'd talk later. Ian nods, sniffing one more time. Thinking about it, even after this, he still _loves_ Aeric. He still wants to talk and study together, and definitely wants to still kiss him and hold his hand and go out.

He thinks they can still make this work, if they just talk.

"Should I text him?" he asks. It's probably only been a few hours.

"Uh... maybe after you clear your head a little more," Barley suggests, leaving the rest of the cheese puffs on Ian's bed. There's probably only three or four left. "Finish your homework, take a shower or something. Eat, I guess. Time heals all wounds, little brother."

Ian rolls his eyes affectionately. "Okay, now you're just espousing whatever wisdom Shamblefoot the Wondrous gave out in the Quests of Yore book." Still, he can't help but smile. "But thanks, I... really needed that."

Again, it's just another reminder that Barley walks that fine line between older brother and dad so naturally. Barley opens his arms for a hug and Ian melts into it, feeling like he can breathe again with this new sense of clarity.

"Yeah, well, now I have to deal with you growing up more. Dunno if I'm ready for some of those talks," Barley confesses when they pull away, and Ian flushes.

"All right, all right, I get it—" he says, taking the bag in his hands. "If Mom's worried, you can tell her I'm feeling better now."

"Yeah, well, you're the baby of the family." Barley shrugs, getting up from the bed. "It'll all work out—I have faith in you kids."

"Thanks." Barley leaves it at that, and Ian munches on the final few cheese puffs while watching the moons rise, wondering if Aeric's looking at them, too.

* * *

Aeric texts first, after Ian's taken a hot shower and is basically ready for bed. His phone flashes, and there's a new playlist Aeric just shared.

" _I'm so sorry, Ian_." The entire playlist is heartfelt apology songs, and Ian just knows he spent the whole time since he left trying to apologize in the best way he knows how. Just getting the text assures him that they're gonna be just fine.

Ian puts on the playlist lowly (though he's going to be listening to it all weekend, without Aeric here with him), laying down before texting back. " _I'm sorry, too. I didn't communicate with you first and thought I needed to use magic to impress you more_."

" _And I still have a lot to work through when it comes to my birth mom_." The way it's worded, it's definitely obvious Della had a talk with him first. " _I was mad, but not at you. I can't be mad when you have the best intentions_."

Is it weird to hug his phone? Ian does it anyway; it's not like anyone else can see him. But he has to know something. " _Did you cry?_ " he asks.

" _Like a baby_ ," Aeric confesses immediately. " _I never want to hurt you, Ian._ _And obviously this means we have to talk a little bit more about the harder stuff_."

Things like his dad. Like his birth mom. All the terrible things they want to hide, but what ultimately help shape them into who they are now, especially if they still want to be together.

" _If it's with you, it won't be so bad_." Also cheesy as hell, but it's how he feels. " _I'd call you, but I probably look and sound awful_."

" _That's impossible for you_." Ian's never been able to smile so much over just seeing a few words on a screen. " _You always look amazing. I definitely look wrecked and sound terrible from all the crying_."

And is it bad that Ian sees a few dents in the armor? That Aeric isn't as perfect as he keeps thinking? Somehow that just makes him even more attractive. " _Well, we can probably call over the weekend, while you're away._ "

" _Don't remind me!_ " Ian can read that in Aeric's voice so easily. " _That's too long away from you. Dunno if I can handle it_."

It's fake, the dramatics, and Ian rolls his eyes, even if Aeric can't see him. " _You'll be home before you know it_ ," he assures, before looking at the time. " _Isn't it past your bedtime_?"

" _Couldn't go to bed without at least texting_ ," Aeric confesses. " _Making you sad is the worst I've ever felt_."

" _I'm glad we're talking. I really hope we can work through this and feel stronger together_."

" _Me too—it's all I want_." Aeric sends the blue hearts, and Ian finally feels like he can rest easy.

But he has to know something really important. " _Do you still love me?_ " he asks.

The response is immediate. " _Of course_. _I think I love you even more now, if that's possible._ " And then, a moment later, " _Do you still love me_?"

There's no way he can't. Aeric doesn't want to just forget they had this fight, he actually wants to work through it so they can understand each other better, and somehow love each other even more. " _I definitely still love you_ ," he texts. It's not the same as hearing the words, but at least Ian knows he's going to hear it again soon.

" _Then I can sleep a little better—have to at least get a bit before heading out tomorrow_."

" _I can't wait to talk again. And I mean it: good luck on the big game!_ "

" _Won't be the same without you cheering me on in the stands._ _But thanks._ " They take another pause, and Aeric texts again, " _Sweet dreams, babe. I love you_." More hearts, of course.

" _Good night. I love you, too_." For once, Ian has the last word.

The Dragons are finally defeated, losing two games in a row up in Crystalwood. And just like that, the season's over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of a bittersweet ending here, but we're not done yet! There's still a few chapters left to write, and I can't wait!
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are greatly appreciated.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ian and Aeric have a serious conversation that turns a little awkward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now we're back to the fluff (for the most part)! You'll know when the awkward conversation comes in, whoops.
> 
> Yes, there are two consenting teenagers discussing sex between each other. I tried to be as respectful and tasteful as possible.

_**First Awkward Conversation** _

" _Don't go, no, the night's not over._

_I just wanna get a little bit closer._

_And I'll press you to the pages of my heart."_

—" **Want You in My Room" Carly Rae Jepsen**

**Aeric**

Needless to say, their reunion is nothing short of passionate, even if the Dragons come home defeated. Ian borrows Guinevere to pick Aeric up from school that Sunday, and even though they've been chatting whenever he's had free time. Ian's known about the defeat since it happened, hence the reward of finally getting to drive Barley's prized van. Aeric sighs in relief when Ian leaps into his arms for a kiss, declarations that they missed each other and quiet murmurs of love pressed against each other's lips.

But they kiss even more in the van, secluded in Guinevere's back area, and Ian's more alive and vivacious than ever. Those hands are all over him the moment his duffel is placed down, pinning him like they haven't seen each other in a month, and not just a weekend. Aeric feels like he can barely do anything; he's completely at Ian's mercy as he lets his mind go and wanders. It's the first time Ian's ever dared to even let his hands wander under his shirt, and Aeric leans into him with a sigh.

He's home.

It's intense, to have Ian this close, humming how much he missed him, how much he loves him, and Aeric can't even keep up for fear of... well, he's not really sure, when Ian is leading him. It's funny, how shy he can be in front of other people, but when it's just the two of them, he's someone else entirely, with Aeric at his mercy.

It doesn't go farther than that, though, especially when Ian pulls back and chuckles as if he _wasn't_ just all over him, and Aeric is breathless, wide-eyed, even, before heading back into the front seat, straightening himself out.

Ian treats him to Burger Shire (Aeric vows that he's going to work out, of course, but it's been a hard weekend), and then to the lookout by the observatory, overlooking New Mushroomton. It's a more gorgeous view at night, but in the late afternoon, there's something to be said about the sun gleaming off every building, as they picnic atop Guinevere's hood.

"I know I said it a thousand times when we called, but I'm really sorry for blowing up the way I did," he apologizes again. Ian's accepted it every time, and it's a huge relief that they're somehow stronger after this. "Mom said I should probably start talking about it more and even brought up therapy, if I want it."

"Do you?" Ian asks, taking his hand and squeezing gently. "I mean, it might not hurt."

"Dunno." Aeric shrugs, looking out at the city. "Thinking about her psyched me out this weekend, like some hyperfixation I couldn't shake. There were a lot of factors to our loss, but... I can't help but feel like this one's on me."

"It can't _just_ be you," Ian assures. "I mean, have you _seen_ the way other Erik throws sometimes?"

Aeric laughs, because even after all this time, Ian _still_ doesn't understand how the game works. The mention of the name makes him a little somber, because something else has been plaguing him... "Can I tell you something?" he asks hesitantly. "About my birth mom?"

Ian nods, inclining closer. "If you want," he says. "We don't have to just immediately start talking about her now, even if there's a lot you have to work through."

"I know, but I think you should know this." Because no one else does. His parents do, of course, but they don't really _get_ it. "She wanted to name me 'Kelby.'"

Ian's silent for a moment as he contemplates what that means. "Oh. So that's why..."

"Yeah. Why I don't like being called that." He sighs. "I can't get out of it with the team, though. Probably won't until I'm in college. And it psyched me out this weekend, hearing it _over and over_ , on top of the fight, even though we made up."

Squeezing his hand again, Ian leans against his shoulder. "Well, what matters is we're here now. But thank you for telling me that. And even if the Dragons lost, that means we have more time together the rest of the semester."

Laughing, Aeric leans back. "Well, we still have to practice, albeit not nearly as hard. I guess in that way it's a blessing in disguise." Time for him to work on his relationship with Ian, so they can learn more about each other and continue to grow. "But we're coming up on summer soon."

Ian sighs, "Summer," but it's content. It's enough for them to sit in comfortable silence as they finish eating, still holding hands as they pick at stray fries and lick their fingers from greasy burger juice. It's disgustingly unhealthy, and it's just what Aeric needs right now.

He's mid sip on his iced tea when Ian finally breaks the silence. "Hey... Aer?"

"Hm?" Aeric hums around his straw.

"Have you ever had sex?"

It's a cliché to do a spit take, but the question is _so out of nowhere_ that it legitimately takes him aback, and he spits out his drink, almost horrified. _This_ question, coming from his usually shy boyfriend.

Then again, after what happened in the van, maybe he shouldn't be so surprised.

"Oh, my gosh, Aeric!" Ian leans over and dabs at Aeric's chin and mouth with the end of his sleeve, his expression horrified. "I'm sorry for blurting that out! Are you okay?"

"I-I'm fine, I'm fine," Aeric assures, setting his drink down. "It just... took me by surprise, is all."

"Sorry, I... it was on my mind and I can't just, I mean..." Ian can't find his words, and right now, Aeric really can't, either. "Barley pretty much raised me, and a question like that would probably give him a heart attack, so..."

"So it's easier to ask your boyfriend," Aeric concludes. Well, they're dating. And they're both teenagers, so obviously Ian being _curious_ shouldn't be so shocking.

And yet... "To answer you, though, yes I have," he sighs. "Quite a few times before we met. Is... that okay?" Is Ian going to think less of him for it?

"Yeah." And he can breathe a sigh of relief at that. "I mean, I'm probably not as attractive as whoever else you've been with—"

"You're more attractive than all of them," Aeric assures. "And you can say I'm lying as much as you want, but that's how I feel."

"So you would... I mean—" Ian's flushing completely, and Aeric's probably pretty pink, too. But he knows the best thing to do is to keep Ian calm if they're going to talk about something so intimate.

Despite the fact that his heart's pounding.

"I would," he says, no hesitation. "Not right now, though, since I'm a little tired and groggy from the food and we don't have what we need..." And this is _Barley's_ prized van, and kissing in it was already a little odd...

"Oh." Ian looks off for a moment. "How does it... work? I mean, we have sex ed, but I know with guys there's kind of a girl role, right?"

"Uh, I probably wouldn't refer to it as that," Aeric explains, as calmly as he can. "We would usually say 'top,' 'bottom,' or 'switch.'"

"So what are you?" Ian looks up at Aeric expectantly, smiling.

"Um..." He's never felt weird about saying it until now. But then again, he's never been with someone like Ian before. And Aeric's got at least a good fifty pounds over him. "Honestly, when it comes to intimacy, I'm way more on the submissive side. I really like bottoming. But then again, I've never tried anything else."

"Why not?" Ian tilts his head to the side.

Aeric shrugs, pushing his glasses up. "I like it so much I've never really considered it, I guess?"

"Oh, so that means... if we..." Ian's voice trails off, getting it. "But I-I don't know if I could—"

Chuckling, Aeric interrupts, "I know you don't realize it, but you're very naturally dominant."

"Am I?" With his tone, he can't tell if Ian's being coy or not. But he's probably being sincere, honestly. "I had no idea."

"Well, think about it." Aeric shrugs again. "With the exception of our first kiss, you've kind of taken control every time it happens."

Ian takes a few moments to think it through, his cheeks flushing more, if that's even possible. "I guess you're right. So, then, if we were to... how would it...?" He tries to make gestures with his hands, but Aeric reaches over to stop him.

He very calmly explains all the mechanics of it, the mood, what they'd need to be fully prepared. Aeric knows it's a lot for Ian to take in, especially after everything they've just gone through, but he _did_ ask.

"You're making a list?" Aeric blinks as Ian produces a pen and a tiny notebook from his back pocket.

"Yeah, is that... weird..." Oh no, the tone probably made him doubtful.

"N-no, not at all!" he assures quickly. "I know it's how you organize your thoughts and take things in. I didn't mean my tone." So Aeric says everything slowly, thoughtfully listening to Ian's questions and nodding along. They both know how awkward it is, with Aeric really never having to talk about or explain sex to anyone, though he has more experience, but being basic enough for someone like Ian, who's still learning all of this, to not be afraid if it ever comes up.

"Unfortunately it's not really something you think about. It's more of... a mood," he decides. "It's all pretty in the moment. And it's okay to feel uncomfortable. I don't think anyone is ever ready for their first time."

"As long as you don't laugh at me," says Ian lowly.

"Oh, babe, I would never." If anything, Ian's probably going to laugh out of nervousness and something he ends up finding funny, but nothing too dire. Aeric wraps an arm around him to pull him close, and presses a light kiss to his temple. "You're so gorgeous. I'll probably just be in awe of you the whole time 'cause you'd really be there."

"Really... be?" Ian hides his face in Aeric's shoulder. "You sometimes think about me like that?" he asks, muffled against him.

"Why wouldn't I?" He has no shame admitting that. "I meant it when I said you're beautiful. And I love you, which is _way_ more than I can say for anyone else I've been with. I just want you to know that you shouldn't go into it thinking you'll make mistakes, or that that's a bad thing. You'll just... know, okay?"

"Okay, I'll try." And yeah, Aeric knows all about worrying too much beforehand. In the moment, strangely, all those doubts dissipate. "Thanks for not laughing at me and being so open about it. I definitely couldn't get through this talk if I tried with Barley."

"Yeah, well... I'm your boyfriend, and we should be able to talk about this stuff without it being too awkward." He bends down to kiss the corner of Ian's mouth, before pushing his glasses up his nose. "And I trust you completely. If you're worried about hurting me or anything, I swear you probably won't."

"I love you," Ian says after a moment, reaching up for a proper kiss.

"I love you, too." Aeric can't believe it's even possible to love him more than before, but here they are. And if this conversation is any indication, after their first fight, they're somehow even stronger as a couple, and he has nothing to worry about for the near future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Could you imagine this conversation with Barley? It's a good thing Ian went with Aeric on this one.
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are greatly appreciated.


	12. First Pool Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that the school year is coming to a close, Tina invites Ian to his first pool party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Totally on track to finishing this fic in the next few weeks! Let's keep the Lightheim train rolling!
> 
> And we're totally back to the fluff again, by the way. Nothing too crazy for the rest of this fic, and I want to thank everyone who gave this fic a chance, or even clicked on it to give the views!

_**First Pool Party** _

" _I hope we never change_

_I hope we stay the same_

_I hope that we can love through the pain, after the honeymoon fades."_

—" **Honeymoon Fades" Sabrina Carpenter**

**Ian**

Now that the season's over, everyone on the team seems to have more time freed up, now that they're not practicing as much a week. For Ian and Aeric, it means more time studying with each other for finals, holding hands, and talking more.

After the birds and bees talk, anyway, Aeric proposed they try to talk to each other about something that was a little uncomfortable, a little unpleasant. Sometimes it's Ian venting about Barley being an annoying big brother, even if deep down, he's definitely the best. Sometimes it's Aeric bringing something up about his birth mom he's never told anyone.

They're even closer now, if that's even possible. And yeah, Ian knows this is a high school romance, that for people like Tina and Gregor, there's a deadline. But he doesn't feel that with Aeric. They both want to go to the same college, have similar academic interests...

Yeah, this is his first love, but Ian thinks he might have actually hit it out of the ballpark with him. Maybe he's just fixated, but it doesn't seem to be the case. He can realistically see a future with Aeric, and Mom and Barley seem to see it, too.

Still, there's still a few things about which he's uncertain, things they still haven't explored together.

Sure, they had the talk, and sure, he's worn a skirt to a game and Aeric's been nothing but supportive (and very encouraging), but then Tina invites them both to her pool party.

"Pool party?" Ian repeats when she saunters up to them in the middle of the hall like a woman on a mission. "But the season is over, and the Dragons lost."

"Don't think of it like that!" says Tina, grinning. "Think of it as an end of the school year celebration and a send off to our seniors! Beginning of summer and all!"

There's still a few weeks until all that, but Ian's definitely noticed that the seniors have a laissez-faire attitude about school. He wonders if he and Aeric will be the same next year, once they know where they're going to college, all the senior activities in place...

"Congrats on Willowdale, by the way," Aeric points out, wrapping his arm a little tighter around Ian's shoulders.

"Well, my dad still wants me to go to law school in Knolling Hills after, but that's years down the line," Tina dismisses, rolling her eye. "Fingers crossed I'll see you both there next year."

Gosh, next year... Prom, graduation... and beyond? It all seems so far away, and yet here Tina is, talking about her reality.

"Hopefully," Aeric laughs, but it's a little uncertain, a little nervous. Ian swallows thickly. "Anyway, this pool party? Saturday night?"

"Yup." Tina nods. "Seven until, well... you know how it goes. But definitely bring your bathing suits! I expect everyone to at least dunk in the hot tub."

"Hot... tub?" Ian's eyes go wide. At Tina's slumber party he had the excuse of legitimately not knowing she had a pool, but this time, it's the whole theme. This isn't his own pool at home, where he'll take a dip a few times a summer. This is all the best looking kids in the junior and senior classes of NMHS, and this time Ian will just inherently _know_ he's inadequate.

"Sounds great," says Aeric, answering before Ian can say anything. "We'll be there."

Aeric just answered for him. Well, yes, he'll probably be able to go, especially now that teachers are getting more slack with assignments (though finals _are_ coming up). And he does like some of the settings—hell, he was even able to hang with Tina's crew without Aeric and did better than he ever expected.

Maybe it won't be so bad?

Before he can say a word of protest, Tina just leaves them with an, "Awesome! See you later!" and bounds off, practically skipping down the hall to thread her arm with Gregor's when she sees him.

* * *

Ian spends the rest of the week freaking out silently, all the negative scenarios running through his head to the point where he feels like he's about to spiral. What if he gets pushed into the pool while he's still holding his phone? What if the whole team laughs at him because he's so scrawny? What if _Aeric_ breaks up with him right there and laughs because he doesn't like the way he looks?

All right, that last one is less than likely, especially since they've made out plenty of times and Aeric knows _exactly_ how he feels around the waist, but _still_. Just because it's _least_ likely to happen doesn't mean there still isn't a _possibility_.

Now that his first slumber party has gone off without a hitch, Mom agrees to this pool party, especially knowing Colt will be patrolling close by. Aeric's already texted that he'll pick him up on the way at 6:45, and it's just occurred to Ian that the only swimming trunks he has are the plain navy ones he's had since the beginning of freshman year. Is he supposed to hit up the mall? If so, when? It's hard enough to get access to a car, with Mom either working or off on date night with Colt, or nights out with Corey (and he has chess club this week).

Ian knows if he pesters Aeric with any of his worries, Aeric is going to play his Best Boyfriend Ever™ card and suggest a night in until he's comfortable. But he's a little done with being comfortable, to be honest. He _likes_ that people know his name in the halls and greet him. He likes that his friends have funny stories about him, like how Dad's old college mates still remember minute details from years ago.

He _likes_ being popular, now that he's had a taste of it for the better part of this second semester.

Still, he flips through Quests of Yore Volume Two for a potential confidence spell (no such luck).

So he goes to Barley.

When the rock music is blaring, it's best to just barge in, since he can never hear the knocking. Barley's scribbling furiously over his messy desk, Quests of Yore cards scattered about as he rummages through them. Ian waves a hand in front of his nose; Barley really needs a fan going or a window open or _something_ for the smell.

" _Hey, little bro_!" Barley shouts over the music, before turning it off from his phone. "What brings you to my dreadful lair this fine evening?"

"Dreadful" is definitely an accurate statement. But now's not the time to nag about that. "Uh... just a little advice, if that's okay."

"I do need to get back to prepping for this week's campaign, but I can spare a moment." Barley grins, leaning back in his chair and rolling back a bit. "Shoot."

Gods, how is he supposed to word this? "How do you have... confidence in your body?" he asks slowly.

"Uh... you're not talking about—"

" _No_ , nonono," Ian assures quickly, flushing. And this is why he went to Aeric for _that_ conversation. " _No_ , it's about that pool party this weekend. Everyone on the cheerleading squad and football team is gonna be there, and they're all... y'know, fit, and then I'm..." He trails off, gesturing to his lithe frame. Great for skirts; not so much for a pool party, right?

"You're what?" Barley raises a brow, almost confused.

"You know— _not_ fit?" He's not really sure how to say it out loud.

"Psh." Waving a dismissive hand, Barley chuckles. "I think you care too much what people think about you and your looks."

"Yes, yes I do," Ian agrees, nodding. That's not such a bad thing! "A slumber party is one thing, but a _pool party_? You can't really hide anything!"

But he asks Barley, because there's no one else he knows who's _nearly_ as comfortable in his own skin. And he's seen his boyfriend without a shirt (and with those _abs_ ) quite a few times. Not even Aeric wears Barley's effervescent confidence, despite how embarrassing he can be.

Barley just shrugs in response. "You just can't draw attention to it. People read off confidence—or, the lack, thereof, in your case—insanely easily. Shoot, I don't care if anyone doesn't find my gut attractive." He clamps both hands around his stomach for emphasis. "Eventually, someone will." And definitely has, if his ever growing list of creatures Ian's seen around is any indication. "And I wear it with pride! It's what keeps us out of trouble off quests."

Damn, Ian forgot to bring down his notebook to make a list. Hopefully he can remember the advice.

"Start off with your posture. And for starters, I would definitely say try to avoid doing _that_ when you're there." Barley points at Ian's stance.

When did Ian shove his hands under his arms again? He thought he was doing so well trying to break that habit! Quickly Ians pulls his hands down, noticing his stance immediately improves a bit as he straightens out.

"That's it?" he asks.

"I mean, you're standing straighter, aren't you?" He is. "And you're gonna be with Aeric, aren't you?" Again, he is. "You'll be fine. Aeric's not _just_ attracted to your personality, you know."

He supposes that's right, but he still doesn't really get it. Ian, hotter than all the CITs at sports summer camps and guys on teams he's played against? It makes no sense.

And yet, the way Aeric looks at him—maybe he can do this.

"I guess," he says, but he's still not bringing this up with his boyfriend.

"Well, I'm here for any of those pep talks when you need them." Barley shrugs. "But if you don't mind, I gotta get back to prepping for this upcoming campaign."

* * *

It's a wonder any homework gets done before the party, with all the worrying Ian's been doing, with his only outlet really being Barley. It's times like these when he wonders if talking to Dad is better, because they're both built similarly. He wonders what helped build Dad's confidence, since not even Mom seems to really know the answer. And the tape doesn't help in this case (he's definitely tried, anyway).

He sticks to the navy pair he's had since freshman year (which still fit like a glove—a damn shame), and pairs it with a white tee. All he needs is that and a towel, right? Maybe a change of clothes? Ian stuffs it all in his backpack after emptying his school books, then checks the time. Aeric's already on his way, after that text.

Alright. He can do this.

Aeric arrives with his hair piled into a bun, and he can strangely pull off the color yellow _really_ well. He can hear Mom wishing them a fun time and barely acknowledges the brief kiss to his cheek before he's ushered into his boyfriend's car.

He can't do this.

Aeric's on about their homework, standardized tests, and practice, and Ian can't hear any of it, hoping his occasional hums of acknowledgement are enough for answers. As the neighborhood gets nicer, the more and more his heart sinks.

It isn't until they've parked and they're at Tina's door that Aeric notices his hesitation, because Ian can't bring himself to knock or ring the doorbell.

"Um... babe?" he asks gently, and Ian can finally hear him clearly. "You okay?"

Why has he been trying to keep this inside the whole time? Why hasn't he talked to Aeric about this, even over text? Why is he even doing this to himself?

"I can't go in there," he finally confesses, his brows furrowing further than before.

"What?" Aeric asks, wrapping an arm around Ian's shoulders. "Why not? Tina's slumber parties are _way_ scarier than this."

"I-I mean, the whole team is gonna be there, and the cheerleading squad... and everyone's so fit, and I've never been to a pool party before—" he says all in a rush, before Aeric interrupts him.

"Ah. I see," he replies calmly, using his free hand to push his glasses up his nose. "Well, I can promise you that absolutely _no one_ is going to judge you for how you look, just because you're not the most fit or filled out. The cheerleaders didn't when you dressed up at the slumber party, right?"

"Well... no," Ian admits. "I got a lot of compliments. But I mean, this is different, right? I'm just in trunks."

"Nah, not at all." Aeric waves a dismissive hand. "Much as _I_ might have a magnet attraction any time you do, well, _anything_ , it'll truly be the last thing on anyone's mind. And if you're _really_ uncomfortable after we make a round and have a drink or some food, we can stay inside."

Of course Aeric would say that. Of _course_. Ian sighs, but that _does_ make him feel better. "Really?"

" _Yes_ , really," Aeric assures. "And then maybe later you might feel a little more comfortable... privately?" He accentuates the innuendo with a wink.

Ian rolls his eyes affectionately, but that's the confidence boost he needs to finally ring the doorbell. "Well, _now_ you're pushing your luck."

It takes a minute, with how loudly the music is pumping from inside, but Tina answers with a grin, her purple hair damp and pulled into a tight braid so it doesn't get too messy. "You made it!" she cries, ushering them inside with hugs. Aeric even kisses her cheek sweetly. "You can leave your stuff in the living room and get some food, but most of us are in the pool!"

Gregor calls Tina outside, leaving Ian and Aeric to it. Luckily Ian has his boyfriend this time, as opposed to Tina giving him the tour. His friends are already here: Gurge cannonballing and causing a wave, Althea with that cute mermaid from the beach party, Sadalia and Parthenope at the edge, talking over drinks. Aeric greets a few guys inside after they set their bags down, and there's Tim at the island, mixing drinks.

"Man, I wish I could just skip college and go straight to bartending," he laments as he makes something for them. Aeric's looks stronger, and seems to be made out of the fancy looking bottles. Ian's is pink and very sweet.

"Think of it this way: a business degree might mean you could try your hand at _opening_ a bar instead," Aeric suggests, taking a sip. "Man, you know just what I like."

"Careful," Tim warns. "I know how you get. Might wanna get some food to go with it."

"Will do." Aeric even gives a salute, wrapping his free arm around Ian. "But I'm driving tonight, and I've got my boyfriend. There's no need to drink as much as I used to."

Ian can't help but flush; has he really made _that_ much of a difference in his life? He ponders it as he piles his plate with pizza and chips (noticing that Aeric opts for veggie this time around, and the one with the least amount of cheese). They sit inside, only to have a little quiet time together to talk and be away from it all (and, fingers crossed, the sensory overload might not get to him as quickly).

"You okay, babe?" It's the second time Aeric's asked this tonight, and Ian nods around his pizza.

"Yeah," he says. So far so good. People are greeting him in passing and seem excited that he might hop into the pool at some point tonight. Everyone is just... being a kid. The seniors are having their fun before college; the juniors are congratulating them and excited for what's in store in just a year from now.

Ian wonders what he'll be doing. He hopes he's still with Aeric, hopes they'll be going to Willowdale together.

But for tonight, he's going to try and have fun.

"What's that?" he asks, pointing his chin to the pool. Tina's on Gregor's shoulders, trying to push another couple down into the water.

Aeric blinks. "You've never played 'Shoulder Wars' before?"

"Is that what it is?" Ian tilts his head, curious. It _does_ look like a lot of fun. "How do you play?"

"Water displacement." Aeric chuckles, leaning over Ian's shoulder to explain. "Makes it easier and safer to play in a pool. You would go up on my shoulders and try to knock the other person out in a little wrestle. Whoever's still on their partner's shoulders is the winner."

All Ian knows is just how to swim; he's never been around anyone else to know there are other games besides Mermaid on the rocks. Maybe this could be... fun.

"I bet you wanna play," Aeric teases, nudging Ian lightly. "You wanna finish up and hop in?"

"But what about waiting an hour after eating?" Ian asks, horrified.

"That's a myth," Aeric dismisses. "Fifteen minutes, sure, but a whole hour? That's dumb. Besides, who are you gonna trust? Some bunk myth or a mermaid's son?"

He supposes Della _would_ know best about the physics of swimming. Aeric wouldn't lie to him about something like that.

"Okay, fine," Ian sighs, conceding. "I _do_ wanna swim."

* * *

They do another round after finishing their food and drinks, and Aeric even grabs some water for them (always looking out for him, his boyfriend is). Ian finds out that the mermaid Althea's been hanging out with is named Kameron, and they really seem to be hitting it off. Parthenope (and most of the fauns, for that matter) isn't dipping into the pool, despite wearing a bathing suit, just for looks. That's probably why Sadalia has been hanging with her, only dipping in every once in a while, but is content to just have her legs in the water.

"But just because I'm not going in, doesn't mean you shouldn't," she points out, shaking out her blue curls (recently dyed, and another reason why she's not going in). "I wish I could be in with you guys, but with my hair and my fur... just isn't worth it."

"The centaurs are in," Sadalia points out, laughing. "But I get it."

"Come on, you two!" Gurge calls, laughing from the water. "Get in here, already!"

Ian sighs, looking over again at the Shoulder Wars going on in the shallow end longingly. He's a drink in; he's feeling pretty good and his friends want him in...

He drags Aeric back into the house by the hand, determined.

"O-oh," he says, a bit confused, but he takes off his glasses to set in his bag. "You ready?"

Ian nods before he can say anything contrary. "I wanna do this," he decides, stripping off his tee quickly, trying not to think too hard about it.

Aeric stares for a moment, but there's something about his expression. Is that... awe? _Lovestruck_ , even?

Leaning down, Aeric gives him a brief kiss. "I love you," he assures.

All right, that's enough to get Ian to smile. "I love you, too," he says, squeezing Aeric's hand as they walk back outside.

And he still has Aeric's hand, eyes only for his boyfriend as they jump into the pool together. The music deafens; for a moment, his blurred, underwater world is clear.

When Ian comes up for air, everyone cheers, and again, there's that surge of confidence he needs to feel like every doubt he had, he should not have worried about. Aeric wraps his arms around Ian and kisses his cheek.

"Your hair's cute like that," he utters, reaching over to fluff the curls that fall in front of his eyes.

No one is judging him for being too scrawny. And despite all the other muscled guys at this party, Aeric only has those violet eyes trained on him. In the water is far more intimate, how easily Aeric can carry him (and already, Aeric can carry Ian with one arm). His heart is pounding, but Ian can hardly notice it over the pure _joy_.

"You two need to stop being so cute!" Tina pipes up, giggling.

"No can do, Tina," says Aeric, smiling. "I can't help being all over him."

"I guess, same here!" Ian adds, nuzzling up against Aeric.

He gets caught up in how much _fun_ everyone is having in the pool, chasing each other on the deep end, enjoying drinks on the ledge. A few divers, even. When Gurge jumps in again, it creates a wave that has everyone laughing.

After swimming for a bit (and wow, it's just occurred to Ian just _how_ good a swimmer his boyfriend is), he isn't sure how to bring up that he wants to play a game. Aeric's taught him how to hold his breath for longer; they've even stolen a kiss or two under the water—which is now officially his favorite way to kiss, even if it won't happen often. He's getting more comfortable, and Barley was right: it _is_ about how he carries himself. They get into a splashing "fight" with Gurge and Sadalia, but Ian's itching for something a little more fun.

"Um, Tina?" Ian knows Aeric would ask for him, but he wants to do this himself. He taps her shoulder politely.

"Yeah, sweetie?" she asks, turning. "You're having fun, right?"

"I-I am," he confesses, shooting her a shy smile. Gosh, she's just so _genuine_. "But there was something I did wanna do while we're in here, if that's okay?"

"Oh?" She tilts her head, curious. "What is it?"

Somehow, Ian can feel Aeric beaming beside him, proud that he's asking something, for once. "Well, that came you were playing... the one where you're on Gregor's shoulders?"

"Shoulder Wars?"

"Yeah, that one. I've never played, but it looks fun."

"You've never played?" Tina repeats, her eyes wide. "Oh, it's so much fun!" She nudges Gregor, who has his back to her. "You hear that, babe?"

"Huh? What?" Gregor turns back to Tina.

"Ian's never played Shoulder Wars before."

"Oh, no shit?" His eye widens. "Yeah, that's a rite of passage—you down, Kelby?"

"A game where you get your ass handed to you?" Aeric teases. "Hell yeah, I'm down."

It's all in good fun, right? Gregor ducks under the water, and Tina leaps up on his shoulders before he emerges. Oh, so that's how it works.

Aeric does the same, and Ian realizes he's never been carried like that before. But he gets on Aeric's shoulders quickly, and his boyfriend has a good grip on his legs. So this is what it's like, being this tall.

"Okay—I'll go a little easy on this round, Ian, but you have to try and knock me down!" Tina challenges, holding her hands up.

Seems simple enough. Ian nods and grabs Tina's hands, and immediately she starts pushing. He almost slips! But Aeric hans a good enough grip that he stays on, and starts pushing back. But Tina is smiling, and it's infectious enough to where Ian starts laughing along with her. Here he is, on a Saturday night toward the end of the school year, on his boyfriend's shoulders, at one of the hottest parties thrown by the popular kids. Last year he'd be at home, just watching TV in the living room, Barley out with friends for a campaign, Mom out on Date Night with Colt. This year, he has _friends_. A _social life_ outside school.

The most amazing boyfriend, who loves him for who he is.

Maybe it's because Tina said she'd go easy on him, but Ian knocks her back into the pool. When she emerges, she laughs again.

"Great job, Ian! But now I want a rematch!" There's a fiery determination in her eye, now, and Ian knows to step up his game.

He wins a few, loses a few. There's a whole crowd about then, cheering them on, and Ian stays focused on Tina smiling at him, the playful jeers from Aeric and Gregor ("My boyfriend's gonna kick your girlfriend's ass!"). When he lands in the pool in defeat, it's not a concession, or humiliation—everyone is still in good spirits despite that.

Emerging, Ian holds up a hand for Tina to high-five, which she eagerly does. "Wow, you're pretty strong!" he compliments.

"Perks of being a cheerleader!" she exclaims. "Not bad for a newbie, Ian."

Later, when his fingers are wrinkled and his hair is completely in his face, they relax in the hot tub, and Ian is immediately soothed by how warm it is, all the jets going off at once. Tina has Tim bring them drinks, and given how crowded it is, she's on Gregor's lap, while Ian settles nicely atop Aeric's, an arm slung over his boyfriend's shoulder. Parthenope follows them to the edge, but Sadalia sinks in beside Tina, enjoying one of the jets on her back.

"Man, I need one of these for my muscles after a long workout," Aeric laments, leaning back. "Best I have is the shower."

"Oh, I adore it," Tina pipes up with a sigh. "I heard Willowdale has a pretty decent one, but of course it's only saved for the swim team."

"Hell, I'd join if that's the case!" he jokes back. From this close, Ian can feel Aeric breathing as they lean together, probably the closest they've ever been. And yet, the intimacy is shared with all their friends.

It makes Ian wonder if he'll ever do this again, if it's _just_ with Aeric. He honestly just might.

"Hey, congrats on winning 'Most Magical Couple' for yearbook, by the way," says Tina, changing the subject as she reaches over to nudge Aeric.

Aeric tilts his head, confused. "Wait, I didn't—"

" _I_ did," she confesses, shooting them a knowing smile. "Like anyone could resist."

"Tina..." Aeric warns, but his tone is laced with affection.

"Hey, I voted for you!" pipes up Parthenope. "There really wasn't any competition there."

"'Most Magical Couple'?" asks Ian, confused.

"Yearbook superlatives," Sadalia explains, taking a sip of her drink. "You know, 'Most Entrancing Eye or Eyes,' 'Best Hair,' 'Best Scales'... things like that for the end of the year."

Ian's eyes widen. Other than his school picture, the only other times he's ever appeared in yearbook are for the few clubs he's in—and even then, he's usually in the back, barely seen. He's never gotten so much as a couple of signatures in it, either, and most of them are just "HAGS" wishes.

Superlatives get whole spreads, and "Most Magical Couple" is the most coveted of them all. A whole page to shine, an interview... A memory Ian gets to keep for the rest of his life, that he gets to share with Aeric.

"W-we won?" he asks breathlessly, almost in disbelief. "I didn't know Juniors could even _win_ superlatives."

"Not usually, but there was a _lot_ of support for you two," Tina explains. "It was so overwhelming that the senior couple conceded. And you can guess who that was." She giggles to give away the hint.

"Tina, you really are too much sometimes," says Aeric, but Ian can tell, he's teasing her out of love.

"You'll thank me for it one day," she counters, winking at him. "But you really _are_ the most magical couple. I don't think I've ever seen you this happy before."

"I have more reasons to be, anyway," Aeric replies, looking up at Ian. "We could go for another million lifetimes without meeting anyone as special as Ian Lightfoot."

"I'll drink to that!" Sadalia agrees, before doing so.

"Hear, hear!" chimes in Parthenope, following suit.

Everyone's even drinking to him. Before Ian joins in, he takes a mental snapshot of this moment: surrounded by his friends, his boyfriend, in this intimate setting.

This memory of absolute perfection.

* * *

It's past midnight when Ian and Aeric say their goodbyes, the party well dying down once people start leaving. Ian's skin is wrinkled from head to toe, and his hair is an absolute curly wreck, but his belly is warm and his heart is full. He's really going to miss Tina next year, he decides—who else in their class is capable of pulling off these legendary parties?

Sighing, he straps into Aeric's car, well aware that he's still wearing this dopey smile that can't seem to disappear.

"I'm really proud of you, Ian," says Aeric, before he starts the engine. He's got his glasses on again, so he can drive them home properly.

Ian sinks down in his seat, content. "Thanks," he replies, finally looking up. "I had a lot of fun."

"Yeah, I know—Tina's parties are always—"

"No," Ian interrupts, reaching over to hold Aeric's hand over the console. "I mean this _year_. This semester. Meeting you, being with you. It's the most fun I've ever had in my life. More fun than when I'm doing magic, even."

Aeric looks back at Ian briefly, biting back a huge grin. "Babe, you're gonna make me cry," he says, already kind of choking up. He brings Ian's hand up to his lips, kissing it lightly. "Is it even possible to love you even more than I do right now?"

"I don't know," Ian sighs, squeezing Aeric's hand. "But something tells me it is."

Because he's falling harder and harder every day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love a good cheesy ending, honestly. They'll keep coming along.
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are highly appreciated.


	13. First Yearbook Photo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ian and Aeric have their photoshoot for yearbook superlatives, and Aeric has something he wants to ask Ian.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thirteen chapters down, three to go! (and then another fic right after this haha we're gonna have Lightheim for the rest of the year if we keep this up)
> 
> The fics in this fandom definitely need to be less incest oriented, ya sickos.

_**First Yearbook Photo** _

" _The sky has never been so bright._

_Baby, you're my northern lights."_

—" **Aurora Borealis" Bohnes**

**Aeric**

Yearbook summons them both that week to take their superlative pictures: Aeric during Study Hall, and Ian during P.E., before he changes. It's a gorgeous afternoon, the sun shining without a cloud in the sky—a perfect day for a perfect photo shoot.

"Was I supposed to wear something... nicer?" Ian asks, doubtful as he looks down at his usual flannel and jeans. Aeric's got his varsity jacket on—which is really the only nice thing he's wearing (and part of his usual wardrobe). "I didn't know this was today."

"You're fine," their centaur photographer, Jax, pipes up. He has a notebook perched in his hands to get them for their little interview blurb, and a tripod set up by one of the trees out on the quad to make for a more intimate setting. He's in Aeric's advanced Physics class, and has a tendency to wear his long, dark hair up more often than Aeric does.

"You sure?" Ian tries again, worried.

Aeric sees the annoyance in Jax's eyes, so he takes over. "You look amazing, babe, as per usual," he assures, straightening out Ian's collar. "This is what you normally look like, and that's kind of what this is about—not so much about your actual yearbook photo, you know?"

"I guess..." But Ian nods, at least getting it.

"Guess I'll start with the interview." Jax shrugs. "How did you two meet?"

"I just approached him after school one day and introduced myself," Aeric starts, realizing how _normal_ that sounds out loud. "I just knew after the whole thing with the school, he'd be drowning in interested people."

"So not true!" Ian smacks Aeric's shoulder playfully. "I'm surprised I was able to even _have_ a normal conversation!"

"Uh-huh." Jax doesn't seem very amused. "And what _attracts_ you most about the other?"

"I mean—gosh, have you _seen_ Aeric? He's _hot_ ," Ian pipes up, then immediately flushes. "Sorry, was that inappropriate?"

Aeric laughs, because he can't believe that just came out of his boyfriend's mouth. "I mean, other than being insanely gorgeous, I guess what attracts me to Ian most is his perspective? Like, when you're with him, you see the world in all these ways you never would have thought of before."

"Babe, that's beautiful—now my answer sounds so shallow in comparison. Can I change it?"

Jax ignores Ian. "And what's your favorite thing to do together?"

"Study!" Ian answers immediately. "Oh, that's so nerdy..."

"We're both huge nerds." Aeric shrugs. "But yeah, I would say studying, too, if I can't say _everything_."

"Cool." Jax sets down his notebook. "I guess we can move on to pictures, if you're ready."

It's like he's rushing this (which, fine, deadline and all). But Jax's nonchalant reactions seem to be putting Ian on edge, so Aeric instinctively wraps an arm around his boyfriend's shoulders. "How do you want us?" he asks.

After checking the tripod, Jax gives them a quick glance. "Yeah, that's fine," he dismisses.

That's not helping Ian, who's completely tense under Aeric's hand. "Oh, okay." He's not sure how to spin this, and he can tell as Jax takes the first picture, that Ian definitely doesn't look comfortable.

Jax looks at the preview and grimaces. "Huh..." he utters. And Aeric has seen this guy's pictures; he does a pretty great job and definitely has a passion for photography in the other yearbooks, and from what he's seen on social media. "Maybe we could try that again?"

"Was it me?" Ian utters, looking like he's at the point of freaking out completely.

"No, I think I blinked, and my glasses slipped a bit," Aeric lies, trying to save that by pushing them up his nose. He rubs Ian's shoulder lightly. "Sometimes it's hard for the camera to capture how adorable you are."

The cheesy line gets Ian to relax a little. "You're too much sometimes," he chuckles, smiling as Jax snaps again.

He takes a few more, asking for a few other poses to test out, and Ian freezes up, thinking too hard about what they should do. "Um... hug?" he suggests.

And, of course, Ian's too _stiff_ in it. It doesn't feel like a natural hug between them. Ian seems like he's _so_ well aware there's a camera on them, so acting candidly just isn't working out.

Aeric watches Jax sigh again, exasperated, and heads over to him. "What's up?" he asks lowly.

"It's Ian," Jax replies, making sure to be just as quiet. Scrolling through what he's taken, Aeric can very clearly see the problem: Ian looks like a griffin in headlights, scared out of his mind. "I'm not getting anything from him; he's too stiff and it's making you two look awkward. I mean, I could _try_ to work with these, but it's gonna take a lot of tweaking..."

"No, no—no need," Aeric decides, an idea starting to form. "I know you have a lot to do for yearbook, but just trust me on this. I'm gonna get the pictures you want. But let's leave the tripod, and you might wanna go for a faster shutter speed."

"Sure," Jax sighs, running a hand through his hair before he takes the camera off. "At this point, I'm willing to try for a miracle."

"It's me, isn't it?" says Ian when Aeric walks back up to him, brows furrowed with worry. "I'm ruining this."

Okay... he can get around this. This is the one time a lie might actually work in their benefit. "Nah, I just told Jax we should start having fun!" Aeric leans down and picks Ian up effortlessly, throwing him over his shoulder (he really doesn't weigh much at all).

"Aeric—!" Ian cries, surprised. But he's laughing, and he can hear Jax being active, the camera going off quickly. This might actually work! "Put me down, you huge dork!"

"I'm sorry, what?" Aeric pretends to play dumb, spinning them around a few times. Candidly like this, he can tell the camera is the last thing on Ian's mind. "Keep this up?"

"Aeric!" Ian yells again, lightly tapping his back. "I'm serious! Put me down!"

Laughing, Aeric complies, and presses their foreheads together. "I figured that was the easiest way to loosen you up."

"I hate it when you're right," Ian chastises, wrapping his arms around Aeric's neck. Now that he has Ian's complete focus, Jax starts rapidly taking pictures, which Aeric is sure will look amazing.

Leaning in, Aeric kisses his boyfriend's cheek, gripping to his waist. "You know you love me." He says it in a playful tone, wanting Ian to realize that he doesn't need to think too hard to be his perfectly wonderful self. The pictures in his room are indication enough that Ian can be insanely photogenic. Not only that, but insanely gorgeous. The soft curls, all his freckles, those deep, brown eyes that Aeric can just dive into forever...

Nodding, Ian moves his hands to cup Aeric's jaw. Their foreheads pressing against each other for the briefest of moments is enough for Jax to snap another golden picture. "I love you a lot," he assures, and every time he says those three little words, Aeric's heart flutters yet again.

They hug once more, and this time Ian leans into him, instead of stiffening up. "Wow," says Jax, starting to go through what he has. "That actually worked."

"You ass!" Ian laughs, hitting Aeric's shoulder lightly. "You said your glasses slipped!"

"Well... now they actually are!" Aeric pushes his glasses up again. Seeing Ian's adorable blush keep growing gives him a spur of the moment idea that's sure to get him smacked again. But it'll be so worth it. "Hey... babe?" he asks, his tone suddenly quiet and serious.

"Yeah?" Ian's smile softens, but it's still crooked and adorable as ever. Honestly, if Ian ever gets braces, Aeric's really going to miss the way his teeth are now.

Those dark eyes widen as Aeric gets down on his knees, taking his boyfriend's hands gently. "Iandore Lightfoot, will you... go to Spring Fling with me?" Alright, kind of a dumb thing to do, but seeing Ian's face go from gentle trust to complete shock is kind of hilarious.

And when Ian gets the context, he frowns for a second, but his expression softens again as Aeric hugs his waist, laughing against his stomach. "You really had me there for a second!" he cries, tapping lightly against his shoulders. Out of the corner of his eye, he watches Jax roll his eyes, but definitely not in that playful manner.

"Okay, but yes, of _course_ I want to go to Spring Fling with you," he continues, bringing Aeric back up to his feet. "I was wondering when you were gonna ask..."

"You could have asked me yourself, you dork," Aeric chides. "It's in less than two weeks, after all." Even though it's pretty implied that they're going together, anyway. They _are_ boyfriends in love, after all.

They're the year's Most Magical Couple.

"All right, I think we have it," Jax deadpans, scrolling through the photos. "This is more than enough to work with. You can probably go back to class now."

Ian looks down at his watch. "Oh. I thought this would've taken all period." Given he still has P.E., Aeric doesn't blame him for sounding disappointed.

"Nah, just like the first third." Shrugging, Jax takes down the tripod, packing it into his backpack. "I can escort, I guess, so they—"

"No, I've got it," Aeric interrupts, wrapping an arm around Ian, a not so nice plan starting to form in his head. "The field is on the way to study hall, anyway."

Ian shoots him a confused glance that Jax doesn't notice, but stays silent as they grab their backpacks.

"I guess, if you've got it." The lax attitude is what Aeric is counting on. "I'll get these to the printer soon—you're both gonna look great."

"Thanks!" calls Aeric, already leading Ian away. "I really can't wait!"

Once Jax is out of earshot and Aeric can't hear him clopping behind them anymore, Ian whispers, "Okay, _what_ are you doing? Your study hall class is on the other side of campus."

"You trust me, right?" Aeric just keeps walking, his arm tightening around Ian's shoulders.

"Yes..." Ian replies hesitantly, his blue brow still furrowed.

"We're not gonna get in trouble," Aeric assures, leading them toward the bleachers. And good—it looks like Ian's class is inside the gym today, given the emptiness of the field. "But it's fun to be a little bad every once in a while."

Sure, it's a cliché, to make out behind the bleachers in this semi-secluded area, but any moment he can get with Ian is _always_ worth it. He sets his backpack down, leaning against one of the concrete pillars.

Ian looks around for a moment, hesitance in those wide eyes, and Aeric is sure his palms are a little sweaty as he grips to his backpack strap. "I-I've never ditched a class before," he admits quietly.

"Well, given it's just P.E., I doubt you're missing much." Aeric shrugs; he's not going anywhere. "You're already accounted for in class, and the teacher was never given an estimate as to _how_ long we'd take."

His words are definitely swaying Ian as he takes a step forward. "I guess... if I _were_ going to ditch, it'd definitely be P.E."

"We only have a year left of school, and senior ditch day so doesn't count. There's a first time for everything, though, babe."

"So I'm realizing, the more time I spend with you." Ian shoots a shy smile, and finally places his backpack down next to Aeric's. He wipes his hands on his jeans as he steps up so they're practically flush. Ian's at the perfect height to where the light catches those brown eyes, almost like honey—rich and deep, and Aeric's lost in them again. "Pretty much everything we've done together has been a first for me."

"Is that a bad thing?" Aeric asks, leaning in to kiss Ian's jaw lightly. And genuinely, he wants to know—these are impressions that are going to be with Ian for the rest of his life.

"No," Ian giggles; his neck is a little ticklish, and Aeric just adores that laugh. "As long as there's something that's a first for you... is there?"

"Hm..." Aeric pulls Ian to him by the waist and traces kisses all over his face. "First time dating a wizard."

"In training." Why is it Ian always wants to undermine himself, even though he's basically perfect?

"First time dating someone at school for more than a month." That one is definitely more embarrassing—but then again he's never clicked with anyone like he has with Ian. Guys have clicked with him physically, sure, but he's never had a study partner like Ian, who keeps him on track with his homework, and who can actually talk to him about star patterns and his interest in renewable energy and—

"First guy I've ever loved," he says, coming out of his thoughts. That's the one that means the most. It's the only thing that matters, too—there's never going to be another Ian Lightfoot in his life.

Ian reaches up and slips Aeric's glasses off his nose, reaching around to tuck them into his back pocket (and note to self: don't lean _too_ hard against the pillar because these _are_ thin frames).

"First time ditching class with the first guy you've ever loved?" Ian guesses next, leaning forward to kiss Aeric's nose.

"That definitely makes it more fun." Aeric smiles and catches Ian's lips in the barest of kisses. "How much time do we have before the bell?"

Bringing his wrist up, Ian looks at the time. "A little under half an hour?"

"Perfect." No more teasing. Ian dives in and grabs Aeric's face, pulling him down for a kiss. "And someone's a little needy," he adds, but Ian kisses him again before he can make another quip.

Sure, there's a first time for everything, but with Ian, most things are better the second time around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is it narcissistic to love these two? Because I do. Completely. Whoops.
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are greatly appreciated.


	14. First Dance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ian and Aeric attend Spring Fling together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little late on the update for this chapter, but it is a longer one! Hopefully the last long-ish chapter in this fic, since we only have two more left (until the next one). Of course, I have a need for validation, and a need to be at the top of the update list to cast out the gross fics, haha.

**First** _**Dance** _

" _No regrets, just love._

_We can dance until we die._

_You and I, we'll be young forever."_

—" **Teenage Dream" Katy Perry**

**Ian**

Spring Fling is the only thing on any junior's mind in the coming weeks. Sure, seniors have prom right after, but that's exclusive, and only something for their class to look forward to. Honestly, Ian didn't think he'd even be going at the beginning of the year (and it doesn't really hit him until Aeric hands him a ticket, purchased right at the student center) and yet, so much has changed since his sixteenth birthday. He has some pretty close knit friends, magic, the most amazing boyfriend anyone could ask for...

Of course, that leads him to wondering what he's going to wear, whose car they're gonna take.

Ian begs Barley for access to Guinevere, especially after Aeric's homecoming and how well that went over, but he's working, which means they're stuck with Aeric's sedan. Not that Ian doesn't love Aeric's car—it smells like him and there's always music playing—but showing off in Guinevere is _stills_ superior.

"Hey, that was a special exception—you still have your permit!" Barley hisses lowly, so Colt can't hear from the kitchen. Yeah—how Ian got away with that is still a bit of a mystery to both of them. And given cop antics don't scare Barley, Colt may or may not be a little harsher on Ian when it comes to the law. "I tried to trade shifts with Allison, but we have a huge party coming in that night. 25th anniversary—and that's where he proposed."

" _That's_ where he proposed?" Ian holds back a chuckle.

"Hey—being proposed to in the Manticore's presence is an absolute _honor_ ," says Barley defensively. "Just for that, you're _definitely_ not getting Guinevere!"

Damn it.

But there are other pressing matters at hand—getting a ride from Aeric really isn't that bad, and he seems more than ecstatic about it, already putting together a "pre-dance" _and_ "post-dance" playlist just for the occasion. Ian takes a trip up to the attic and retrieves one of dad's old suits: a dark velvet suit that looks black up here in this stuffy room, but once he takes it downstairs into better light, he notices it's a deep shade of purple with a matching bowtie, and absolutely _perfect_ for the dance. He briefly considers whether or not he should save it for prom, but renting a tux is usually pretty expensive. Aeric won't mind a repeat, will he?

" _Found a purple suit to match your eyes_ ," he texts, but doesn't include a picture. He wants it to be a surprise for Aeric, and he wants to be surprised in return. " _It was my dad's_."

Still, he at least wants to _match_.

" _I guess now I have a better idea on what boutonnières to get_." Aeric wants to go the whole nine yards with preparing for the dance, it seems, even looking up places that will still be open afterward so they can grab a bite to eat. " _Feeling nervous_?"

Ian knows Aeric isn't referring to the dance—he's referring to their parents finally meeting. Mom insisted she and Colt do a double date with Fiske and Della Aldheim, given how serious their relationship is. And yeah, while that makes complete sense and is bound to happen ( _and_ it's not happening with either of them around, thank the gods), it doesn't stop Ian from worrying about whether or not their parents will get along. Well, Mom and Della probably, but Colt? Fiske? Aeric's dad seems nice, but he's always working on lawyer stuff whenever Ian's over.

He hopes wherever they go, there's a lot of wine for them to enjoy.

Unlike the Willowdale hoodie, the suit needs to be taken in at the waist and shoulders, and hem the pants (and if he keeps the stitches simple, he'll be able to take it out if and when he ever grows into it). This isn't something Ian can gradually grow into one day; he needs this tailored _now_. Luckily, Mom taught him a thing or two about quick stitches.

Every free evening he has before the dance, after homework, Ian works at taking in the suit, realizing with each stitch that he doesn't have a pair of shoes that goes with it. And, with each stitch, he realizes what he wants, looking at the deep purple, ideas flooding in his head.

Will Mom think it's weird? Will she shun him and make him wear something more conventional? All Ian can do is _hope_ as he works away, wondering how to bring it up.

The living room has the best light, and Mom seems content to watch him work as she preps dinner, giving him a couple of words of advice that Ian takes to heart on how to make this fit him perfectly.

"You sure you're okay with me wearing this?" he asks as he tightens the stitches on the shoulder. At least it's not puffing up to look like shoulder pads out of the 80s.

Mom sighs, joining him on the couch. Blazey, in a lazy mood rather than an energetic one, rests her head on Mom's lap, and she pets her scales absentmindedly. "It's not like Dad's going to be wearing it anytime soon," she points out. "Besides, he'd probably want you to have it."

Ian nods, going back to his work. He should just say it, right? Colt isn't around, and Barley's at work, so he feels a _little_ more comfortable.

"Given any thought to your shoes?" Mom asks. Guess he'll have to just say it now. "I know you don't have any, and I didn't keep any of Dad's."

"Actually..." Ian puts down his work for a moment so he can look at Mom clearly, so she can see how sincerely he feels. "I was thinking... a pair of heels would look _really_ nice with this suit." As he says it, he can feel his cheeks heating up. But he can't stop thinking about how great they'd make his legs look, how he wouldn't have to hem the pants too much if that's the case. It's a modern spin he wants to put on this vintage suit, and he already knows Aeric likes the way he looks in them.

Mom's hazel eyes widen a bit at the mention, but a moment later her expression softens. Ian's starting to notice more traits he has from her, like how her smile is also a little crooked, preferring to pull to the right as her lips curl up. "Okay," she says after a moment, reaching up with her free hand to cup his cheek. "I'll take you to the mall tomorrow after school and we'll find the perfect pair."

Ian lets out a breath he had no idea he was holding in. Mom's not looking at him any differently, not judging him for it. He really wants to wear Dad's suit, but the few extra inches in height will definitely make kissing Aeric easier. Not to mention, if he sees a pair now, sometimes his instinct is to picture how he'd look in them, genuinely curious.

"Thanks," he says, leaning over to kiss her cheek before going back to stitching.

Mom pats his cheek again, before going back to preparing dinner, Blazey loyally following behind.

* * *

Ian decides not to tell Aeric that he's going to wear heels, either; he wants it to be as much of a surprise as the suit. But the dance is all Aeric can talk about, and Ian's afraid that he's going to spill the beans.

The bombshell comes over morning announcements. Of course, the student's scratchy voice isn't going to repeat Spring Fling King nominations, and given the vast difference in their last names, of _course_ they don't have homeroom together. Ian watches the teacher turn his back before sneaking his phone out to text Aeric.

" _You didn't tell me you were nominated for Spring Fling King!_ " he sends, with a shocked emoji.

Aeric texts back almost immediately, but the teacher turns back around. Damn. Ian's actually desperate to know what his reply is—and now even _his_ leg is jiggling in anticipation.

What happens to a Spring Fling King? Do they have to dance with the Queen? He thought he heard Sadalia's name under Queen nomination, but their PA system, even after helping rebuild the school, leaves a lot to be desired. Lunch honestly can't come fast enough, and homeroom is the longest fifteen minutes of his life here.

When he checks his notifications in the hallway, Aeric replies, " _I honestly kind of forgot—I was so caught up with you and the game that I couldn't remember if I was nominated at the beginning of the year_."

Well. That certainly makes things a little more complicated. Now Ian _has_ to look great if he's going to be on the arm of their Spring Fling King (because how the hell _wouldn't_ his boyfriend win?). Thank the gods he remembered to bring the bow tie of Dad's suit with him, so he and Mom can find the _perfect_ heels.

Lunch doesn't come soon enough, because Ian is practically hopping with each step as he _finally_ finds Aeric, grabbing his arm as they get into line at the cafeteria.

"Okay, when you win Spring Fling King, what happens?" he asks immediately.

"Hello to you, too," Aeric chuckles, letting Ian cling onto his arm like he has to for dear life. "I dunno... just take a picture with the Queen for yearbook, and I go onstage for a crown and maybe a sash? It's not that big a deal—and did you just say ' _when_ I win Spring Fling King'?"

"Of course you're going to win," says Ian, matter of factly as he grabs them trays. "You're the most gorgeous person at school."

"Well, that's biased." Aeric rolls his eyes affectionately. They always look so much bigger behind his glasses (or maybe his boyfriend is just that blind). "And also arguable, seeing as I'm already dating the most gorgeous person at school."

How is he so good at making Ian flush so quickly? He grabs a pre-made pizza; Aeric grabs his usual salad, and a cup to fill with ice for his daily portable smoothie. "It's not really a big deal," he continues with a shrug. "I get why it is for you, though—people are going to see you and take pictures, but you're going to look amazing no matter what you're in. I think I have the perfect flowers for the boutonnières."

And how does he know _exactly_ what Ian's thinking? They pay for lunch and join their group—but of course, Spring Fling is all _they_ can talk about, too, and a few times Ian almost spills what he's going to wear, especially after he notices Parthenope's dyed her hair purple, now, to match her dress.

But he's good for now—it's just a few more days before the biggest night of the school year.

* * *

Ian's not used to the mall—all the hustle and bustle of middle aged moms and teenage girls trotting around has him siding up to Mom a little more than usual, despite its open, dome glass ceilings and bright, cheery music playing over the speakers. Luckily, she seems to know exactly where to go, quickly taking in that any more time here than needed, and he might get too uncomfortable by the sensory overload.

He brings the bow tie to try and find the perfect match for the shoes, but it turns out, finding purple shoes, even during prom season, is a little more difficult among the sparkly silvers and golds (and not to mention shoes suited only for certain species). Shoe stores sprinkled among the long walkways are too small to have anything outside what's traditional, which means they have to navigate the confusing floors of department stores.

Again, thank the gods he's here with Mom.

What he will say, is that he's starting to picture himself in outfits some of these mannequins like to boast. Maybe he'll ask for summer clothes.

Some other time, though. Right now, all that matters is the shoes.

And then he sees them, on display, right there at the start of the shoe department: a pair of glittered, light purple heels. When he holds the display up, he notices how they play with the light, how so many shades of his dad's favorite color are completely represented. Sure, they're a little high, but there has to be a spell that helps with walking in shoes like these... right? Or just pain management in general?

"Mom, I think this is it!" he says gleefully, pulling out the bow tie from her purse. Sure enough, it's a practically perfect match.

"Oh wow, they're gorgeous," she compliments, holding the display up. Mom flags down an associate, asking for Ian's size. He really hopes they have it; his feet aren't as wide as Barley's, but they're definitely larger than the average female elf.

It's like a fairy tale, because they _do_ , and when Ian slips into them to try them on, they make his legs feel just as wonderful (although he can tell, he's going to have to spend time breaking them in).

When he turns back to Mom, her eyes are huge and almost pleading. "What?" he asks, shooting her a smile.

"I can't believe my baby's growing up," she says quietly, almost like she's holding back tears.

"Aw, Mom..." Ian chuckles, walking up to her (slowly; he's still getting used to the feeling). "They're just a really nice pair of heels."

"They are, they are." Mom sighs, then looks at the price, her eyes widening.

"What is it...?" And then Ian makes the mistake of looking, and he sighs. "Oh... that's a lot."

But they're so perfect... of course it isn't meant to be in that case.

Mom looks at the bow tie, then up at Ian, sighing again. "Do you love them?" she asks.

Ian nods—he can't lie about how perfectly they would go it, with the suit. "A lot," he admits.

"And will you wear them more than once?"

Ian's eyes widen; he can't believe she's actually caving. "I-I'll try to." Hell, he'll start wearing them to school after the dance if he has to.

"Okay," she concedes, smiling. "Then I guess we found your shoes."

He sides up to Mom, hugging her. "Thank you." Ian wonders if she knows how much this means to him, that he gets to show off on Aeric's arm and actually feel _confident_ in how he looks for once.

But Mom, who probably has more magic in her than she's willing to admit, is definitely aware.

* * *

The excitement in the air is insanely palpable the day of the dance: seniors coo and reminisce on how excited they'd been last year; lowerclassmen look on in longing for when they finally get to sink their teeth and fangs into upcoming events. Aeric looks like he's about to burst, hiding his excitement by high fiving (or however many fingers someone has) everyone who greets him, promises of voting for him for Spring Fling King echoing in the halls. Even the teachers can't stay too focused on work, knowing this is what most of the juniors are talking about (and given the end of the school year is coming up, they're just being more lax in general).

Ian practically sprints home after school, barely saying hi to Mom and Blazey as he dashes upstairs to shower. Yeah, he does have to wait for Mom and Colt to get ready for their double date, as well, and then they're off to drive to the Aldheims, where Ian will go off with Aeric and their night can finally begin.

" _I can't wait to see you_ ," Ian sends with the kissing and hearts emojis, hoping that's enough for now. But he keeps his phone on silent so he can stay concentrated on getting ready. By some miracle his curls are actually working on staying in line as he dries them down, hoping for _at least_ some semblance of neat hair tonight. His skin is even looking fine, even if his freckles seem to be standing out a little more than usual.

The suit finally fits like a glove after Ian's tweaking, and he takes the time and care to make sure each piece is perfectly in place, giving it a proper night out after spending years collecting dust in the attic. When he slips the heels on, it pretty much all comes together, and for the the first time since the sleepover, he can't stop looking at himself in the mirror.

But if only he can get the bow tie right, damn it. The tutorials he's been trying to follow are just going too fast, or he'll blink and miss something.

"Hey... how's it going up there?" It's just really occurred to Ian that Barley hasn't seen him in heels, and he wonders how his older brother is going to take it.

Barley pauses as he opens the door, taking him in with wide eyes. "What?" Ian asks, chuckling nervously.

"Whoa—you look just like Dad," Barley compliments, finally crossing into the room. "I just wanted to check up on you before I left for work."

"Wow, really?" There's that nervous chuckle again—he never thought he'd actually look close enough. Ian fidgets with the loose bow tie. "Dad probably wouldn't have worn heels, though."

It's then Barley finally looks down at Ian's feet and realizes they're standing at about the same height now. Like Mom, he's only taken aback for a moment before he's grinning. "Probably not, but look at you! My little brother has legs of steel!"

Scoffing, Ian waves a dismissive hand. "I just liked them, is all."

"You look great. Aeric's gonna love it," Barley assures, placing a confident hand on his brother's shoulder. But his eyebrow raises as he notices the bow tie. "Uh... you're not going for the messy look, are you?"

"No," Ian sighs, playing with the ends again. "I just can't seem to figure it out from the tutorial I was watching."

"Here, let me." Ian lifts his head up so Barley can fidget with the bow tie.

"I didn't know you knew how to do this."

"What, you think I haven't worn a suit before?"

Ian can't remember, honestly.

"There we go." When Ian looks back in the mirror, Barley's tied him a perfect bow around his neck—and it isn't too tight, either.

"Wow, thanks." Ian smiles over at Barley, grateful. He can't imagine how terrible his pictures would look if he can't get this one thing right. "Is Mom almost ready?"

"Yeah, she's just about to call for you. But I thought I'd give you a little something before I head off." From his pocket, Barley produces a small bottle of cologne.

Ian raises a skeptical eyebrow. "I didn't know you wore cologne, either."

"I don't." Barley shakes the bottle, and sure enough, it's totally full. "Greg gave it to me as a gag gift. I was just waiting for the right time to give it to you, and this is as good a time as any."

"Thanks." Ian smiles, giving his older brother a hug (which is a little weird now that they're the same height). "Have fun at work."

"Ian!" Mom calls from downstairs. "You ready to go, sweetie?"

"Yeah, Mom, just about!" he calls back down, taking his phone out of the charger, grabbing his wallet (because he's treating to Aeric to Burger Shire for once, damn it), and the change of shoes for afterward, just in case. He spritzes on a couple sprays of the cologne Barley handed over (it's very musky, but there's something nice and floral in there, too, which he likes), then follows his brother out of his room.

Colt is in a nice button down, and Mom's in a floral linen shirt and slacks—perfect date night attire for a nice restaurant. But Mom gasps as Ian comes downstairs (and he once again clings to the rail so he doesn't trip), and quickly snaps a picture.

"Mom! You said we weren't taking pictures until we were at Aeric's!" he scolds, flushing.

"I can't help it! You look amazing, baby!" She's peppering his face in kisses again, almost leading Ian to stumble back in his heels. "Just as handsome as your dad."

"You clean up real nice, Ian," Colt adds with a smile.

"Thanks," Ian sighs, glad that Colt is also onboard with his entire ensemble. "All right, Mom, come on. You said we'd be there but 6:45!" He's allowing all this time, knowing Mom is going to take a ton of pictures tonight before they leave.

"Off to work!" Barley calls, opening the door.

Everyone shouts their goodbyes before they're out the door as well. Finally Ian checks his phone, and the only message he has from Aeric is that he has a special playlist for tonight. He sends a quick "On my way!" text, just as he gets into Mom's sedan (still pretty new from when she and Corey crashed right after his birthday). It's not very accommodating for centaurs, and Colt offers to meet them there. Honestly, he'll probably get there first, even at a trot.

"You excited for your first dance?" Mom asks.

"Yeah, I really am," Ian admits, leaning back in his seat. "The night hasn't even started yet, and I feel like I'm in a fairy tale."

"Enjoy it, baby. I'm really glad you have Aeric." It's the first time she's shown some _real_ approval toward his boyfriend, even if she's always been open to him. "He's such a sweetheart."

"I am, too." Aeric brings out the best in him, makes him want to be a more confident person—a _smarter_ person, even, even if he's got all his math accolades. Some of the things Aeric says about physics, about energy conservation, has Ian in complete awe.

"Do you love him?" Ian realizes that the only person who knows that, is Aeric. But he bets Aeric's told Della all about how they've fallen in love.

"Yeah, Mom, I really do," he confesses with a nod and a smile. "Is that so bad?"

"Not at all. You deserve to love and be loved." Surely enough, when they pull up to Aeric's house, Colt is already waiting for them.

Ian's heart pounds in anticipation as he gets out, grateful that the heels are sturdy enough to get him to the door (he might be clinging on to Aeric more than usual, but he can't let Mom know he's not so used to them, especially after she decided to spend the money on these amazing shoes). He shouldn't be so surprised that it's Della who answers, in a gorgeous sequin top that matches her tail perfectly and her auburn hair done in one of those elaborate looking chignons that's probably easy to replicate. Her brown eyes widen as she takes Ian in.

"Come in everyone!" she says cheerfully, pulling her tank back to make room for everyone to enter. "Ian, you look fantastic! Shoes like that sometimes make me wish I had feet!"

"Oh, thanks, Della." He shoots her a warm smile.

Aeric comes downstairs as he hears the commotion, and Ian feels his breath skip for a moment at the sight of his boyfriend in a suit. His is black, but his purple tie matches perfectly. Instead of his teal hair perfectly messy, the longer tufts are gelled back and neatly in place. And, of course, the look is completed with his glasses, perfectly polished. When he gets a good look at Ian, it's like those violet ryes won't be anywhere else for the entire evening.

"Fiske, Ian is here!" Della calls, after making introductions with Mom and Colt.

"Ian, you look..." Aeric can't find the words as he takes in his boyfriend, his smile almost dopey. "Gosh, you're absolutely stunning."

"You don't look too bad yourself," Ian retorts, though that's a complete lie as he takes Aeric's hands (for balance). Aeric looks _amazing_. And at this height, he can see his face without tilting his head up. "You don't think the heels are too much, do you?"

Aeric shakes his head. "No, they're _perfect_ ," he replies.

Fiske comes in, holding a couple of plastic boxes. "Oh wow, you both look great," he compliments, his mustache turning upward. "And you don't want to forget these."

"Right." Aeric takes the boxes, opening them to reveal gorgeous, purple flower boutonnières for them. "Nepeta flowers. They're supposed to mean love and happiness," he explains, pinning them to their breast pockets. "Well... that's what the lady at the flower shop said, anyway."

"I love it." Ian nods, wishing he could dive in for a deep kiss. But not in front of their parents, who are all making their introductions, and seem to be politely getting along so far. He opts to just kiss Aeric's cheek, taking in the scent of aftershave, and that body spray he knows and loves so well. "Thank you."

"All right, pictures!" their moms shout, already with their phones in hand. Hell, Mom's started taking pictures the moment Aeric came downstairs, Ian bets.

It's a little awkward, just taking pictures in the main hall of Aeric's house, their parents shouting fifty different ways to pose that will probably look stiff and strange in the morning. But Ian remembers how Aeric got him to smile for their yearbook photos, and keeps that in mind as everyone snaps away with smiles. The accepting atmosphere at least has Ian relaxing a bit, and that completely enamored look Aeric has just for him is too wonderful for words.

"Okay, Mom, I want all of those pictures, like, now!" Aeric exclaims, pulling Ian in closer. "Doesn't Ian just look _perfect_?"

Gosh, Ian can bask in these compliments all night, finally able to accept them without wanting to defer or undermine himself. He leans into Aeric's touch, unable to stop grinning.

"Yeah, yeah... you're so pushy," Della jokes, sending the pictures anyway. "Shouldn't you kids get going now?"

Ian looks down at his watch—the dance should be starting right about now, and he promised the gang they'd all dance together at some point. "Oh, you're right!" he says. "Babe, I don't want to be late!"

"Yeah, you're right." Aeric nods, triple checking for their tickets in his inside pocket. "Laurel, what time do you need Ian home by?"

"It's a special night, Aeric. I trust you," Mom assures, pulling him in for a hug.

"W-wow, thanks, Mom." Ian's genuinely speechless as he kisses her cheek goodbye.

He handshakes Fiske, hugs Della, and even gives Colt a polite hug as he and Aeric make their way out the door.

Aeric loads in his special pre-dance playlist, and they're off. "How do you think the double date is going to go?" he asks.

"Gods, I hope okay," Ian sighs, leaning back in his seat. And then he looks around, and... "Crap, I forgot my other shoes in my mom's car!"

"Oh, Shantar's Talon—do you need me to turn back?"

Ian shakes his head. "No... I think I'll be okay. My feet haven't really hurt so far. But I might hold onto you more than usual."

"Must be my lucky night," Aeric jokes. How is he so good at picking out the perfect songs to set a mood? Ian is feeling pleasantly pumped for the night ahead. "Seriously, though. You look beautiful. Parthenope is gonna go crazy over your heels."

"I promised Mom I would wear them more than once," Ian explains. "Would you mind if I recycled them for prom next year?"

"Not at all. It makes choosing what I'm gonna wear to match that much easier. Hell, you got me wearing purple, for once."

"This was my dad's suit," Ian sighs, running his hands over the soft velvet. "I had to take it in, but... I don't know, it makes me feel like he's here with me tonight."

Aeric shoots him a smile when they stop at a traffic light. Sure, it's a little sad, but they've come so far since that argument. "I'm glad you have that," he says, before they're off again.

* * *

Ian can hardly recognize the gym as they get inside the dance. Balloons and streamers litter every wall and atop the ceiling, transforming the normally stuffy room into a glamorous setting. There's even a special filter and hashtag on social media to use tonight, which Aeric already takes advantage of with a few selfies of the two if them. The DJ plays steady dance beats on the makeshift stage; there's a huge assortment of snacks and drinks for the juniors to choose from, and circular tables for everyone to take a break from the dance floor in the middle of it all. There's even a photo booth in the corner to commemorate the occasion.

He spots Gurge first (of course), and tugs Aeric along to join them. Gurge cleans up nicely in a navy suit, and Parthenope's lilac dress flows so nicely to her hooves (and matches her hair amazingly well). Sadalia's in a bold pink, her hair curled beautifully around her ears with a flower tucked behind one of her ears. Althea, clad in a crimson suit with her Pride pin on the lapel, is the only other one with a date with Kameron, who looks stunning in her silver sequined dress (good for the water in her tank, too).

"Wow, Ian, look at those heels!" Parthenope greets, giving him a quick hug. "And Aeric, you look great!"

"Aw, thanks," says Aeric sheepishly. Parthenope just has this sincerity and sweetness about her that makes everyone feel good about themselves.

"Group picture!" Gurge exclaims, taking his phone out for a selfie. "We were waiting for you to get here before doing it."

It's the first time anyone's really said that to him. Ian grins, leaning into Aeric's arm around his shoulders as Gurge snaps the picture—he has the longest arms, after all.

"Okay, but we should take pictures at the photo booth!" Sadalia, always the organized one, suggests.

"Great idea!" Althea agrees. "As long as we can get the couples, too?"

"Oh, you know I'm all for that," Aeric pipes up, and already they're heading for the line. While it's long, it doesn't seem boring, especially with groups dancing amongst themselves while waiting for their turn.

Ian taps his feet, but he stays clinging to Aeric for balance, not confident enough to start dancing yet. And yeah, out of their group, Sadalia is the only one who can really dance, but what matters is having fun tonight. At least with the dancing, the line seems to move quick enough, and before he knows it, he and his friends are scrambling for props to use for their pictures and making hilarious faces for their keepsakes.

Althea and Kameron go next, and they're absolutely adorable together, like they just connect as they laugh and hug. And then Aeric pulls Ian in, and Ian actually loosens up, making a few funny faces. But he wants a few cute ones, too, and for the last two he pulls Aeric in for a hug, and then a kiss: the first real one they've shared of the evening.

"Crap, I have nowhere to put these!" Ian laments, staring longingly at their pictures once they print out.

"Here, I'll hold them for now," Sadalia offers, opening up her clutch. "If I forget to give them to you after tonight, just remind me so I can bring them Monday."

"Sure, thanks." That sounds fair, Ian decides as he hands the pictures over.

Next on the agenda is voting for Spring Fling royalty, before that closes off for the evening. Voting for Spring Fling King is easy (because he would be the worst boyfriend if he _doesn't_ vote for Aeric), but he notices Millie's name for Queen, along with Sadalia. Damn.

When Aeric isn't looking, he votes for Sadalia—he's just known her longer, even if Millie is insanely sweet. But he sends her good vibes, at least; is that enough?

He has no time to think about it as their whole group casts their votes and Gurge suggests, "Who wants food?" Of course he'd be the one to say that.

"Yeah, for sure!" Parthenope agrees. It's kind of funny, how they're all moving as a unit (with Aeric occasionally straying off with Ian to greet a few junior players on the team, who all compliment his heels). It's still insanely unbelievable to him how much has changed over the school year, from his friends, to Aeric, to this surge of popularity that he isn't sure he'll ever get used to, even with another year of high school left.

Of course, Aeric goes for the veggie dip, while Ian piles on his plate with chips, pizza, whatever the school has ordered, and punch (thankfully not spiked... yet). They find an empty table, giving themselves a little break.

"How are your feet?" Aeric asks over the music.

"Fine!" Ian replies. Sure, there's a little pinching, but sitting down helps. And he's determined to keep them on all night. With all the compliments, that's keeping him from ever taking them off.

"After we eat, do you want to dance?"

Well, that is what they're there for. Ian looks over at the crowd of kids on the dance floor, doing a line dance of some song from the 90s his mom would probably know all too well. "You know I can't dance, though!" he gulps, a little nervous. The cheerleaders that he sees out there are absolutely _killing_ it.

"Babe, I don't care about that!" Aeric reaches over and takes one of Ian's hands, threading their fingers together before kissing it. "I'm not the best dancer, either. But you have to at _least_ give me a slow dance. Show off your heels for the rest of the class?"

True... for once, he wants people to look at him. He and Aeric have taken enough selfies together to last a lifetime, but pictures only hold so much when it comes to memorable experiences. "A slow dance," Ian agrees. "And then we'll see how I feel if it changes to something fast."

"Deal." Aeric lets go of his hand. "I'm going to head off to the bathroom for a sec, okay?"

"Yeah, sure." Ian nods as Aeric gets up. But he doesn't head off toward the bathroom... he instead goes over to the DJ, and says something in her ear. Is she taking requests? Why didn't Aeric just say he was doing that instead? Why is it such a secret?

"Hello? Ian?" Sadalia pats his shoulder, grinning. "I swear, sometimes you're so obsessed with your boyfriend!"

Ian flushes; he must have missed what she asked. "S-sorry, what were you saying?"

Instead, it's Kameron who speaks. "I just wanted to know where you got your suit! Velvet is so retro!"

"O-oh! It was my dad's!" he explains. "So that's probably where the retro feel comes in!"

"You look just as good as at the sleepover!" Parthenope compliments. "Maybe even better!"

"Yeah, man!" Gurge agrees. "You're only of the only guys here who can pull off those heels!"

"Wow, thanks!" His flush is more from not being used to the praise, as opposed to genuine embarrassment.

Of course, right on cue as a slow song starts, there's Aeric, tapping on Ian's shoulder before extending a hand. "May I have this dance?" he asks, in this all too cheesy way that he can only get away with in a setting like this.

Ian takes Aeric's hand, and is helped to his feet. "Only because you asked so nicely," he teases as he's led to the dance floor.

At least it's easy: Aeric rests his hands on Ian's waist, and Ian clasps his behind Aeric's neck, and they pull each other flush. Aeric leads, just swaying Ian in a gentle circle, those eyes only for him.

"Have I mentioned how gorgeous you look tonight?" he asks, tilting his head.

"Only a few hundred times," Ian chuckles, his fingers playing with the buzzed strands of Aeric's undercut. "I like wearing heels, though. They make it easier to do this." He gives Aeric a chaste kiss, the kind they usually give in greeting or parting in the halls.

"Right. Usually I have to carry you, or sit you on my lap—not that I mind that." Aeric shrugs. "But I'm proud of you. Telling your mom that's what you wanted to wear probably wasn't the easiest thing."

"It took a little bit of courage to say it, but she was open the moment I suggested it. Everyone is pretty open to it."

"You're a guy that likes wearing heels and skirts sometimes." Aeric smiles, and Ian likes that he says it so matter of factly. "And you look so damn good in them. There's nothing to feel embarrassed about, or ashamed of."

Hearing Aeric say it out loud is giving Ian the confidence he needs to maybe suggest to Mom to do some summer shopping soon. Not to mention, he's gotten nothing but praise from his peers for what he's wearing, and he loves being known for being half of the school's Most Magical Couple. "I love you," he sighs, loving how easily he can look into those violet eyes, and know that Aeric is getting lost in his, too.

"I love you so much it's insane," Aeric returns, sealing it with a kiss, this time a little more passionate than the last one. It's only interrupted by the song change, which is a lot more upbeat than whatever they were dancing to.

Just as Ian is about to suggest sitting back down, all his friends gather around he and Aeric, bouncing to the beat. "Come on, Ian, let's dance!" Parthenope cries, siding up to him. She also looks a little awkward, but she's having a ton of fun. Althea is probably the worse of their group, but Kameron has nothing but adoration in those blue eyes for her date. Even Gurge is getting into it, using his crutches like an anchor to keep him grounded.

Like this, without a care in the world, Ian senses the love and energy radiating off of Aeric, off his friends as they join the throng of enthusiastic juniors. He can't wait to watch everyone's stories tomorrow morning, reliving the memories of just how _alive_ he feels in this moment. He's laughing with Aeric; he's (terribly) reciprocating Sadalia's moves.

He's the kind of person his dad would be so proud of.

Ian isn't sure for how long they've been dancing, but he's twirling around Althea and Parthenope when the music slowly fades out, and their faun principal steps onstage, taking the mic.

"Students, if I can have your attention, please... we're going to announce the Spring Fling royalty winners," she explains. "If I could have all the nominees onstage?"

"Good luck!" Parthenope grins, waving at Sadalia. Aeric gives Ian a quick kiss on the cheek before he walks on with her. Everyone gathers in slowly, eager to hear the results. To the side, the dance committee holds up sashes, crowns, and a few envelopes: two for the announcements, and two for the winning prizes.

Once she gets the envelopes, the principal opens them up, smiling. "And, your Spring Fling King is... well, it's no surprise here: Aeric Aldheim!"

Of course, their group goes crazy with cheering, and Ian hopes to be the loudest of all of them. He just _knew_ Aeric would win! And, surrounding them, he hears the loud chanting of, " _Kelby, Kelby..._!" echoing in a way that reminds Ian of how everyone cheers at games. Aeric accepts the crown and sash, grinning for the photo for yearbook (courtesy of Jax).

"And, your Spring Fling Queen... oh, this looks like it was a _very_ close race: oh my, it's Millicent Shentonlaw!"

Millie's eyes are on her interpreter, but she covers her mouth as she realizes the announcement, almost in tears. Sadalia gives her a hug before she accepts her crown, and everyone cheers for Millie with screams and waving hands to show their support. Even Aeric kisses her cheek as she's crowned, signing something to her that Ian can't understand (but really wants to).

Jax snaps a few photos of the two of them together, and even from this distance, Ian can see Millie shaking in pure happiness.

"All right, our King and Queen are going to choose their partners for their winning dance. Have a good evening, everyone, and congratulations to our winners and nominees!"

The juniors clap politely, spotlights on Aeric and Millie as they rejoin the crowd to find their dates. Everyone around Ian and Millie's date part immediately, knowing exactly who they're going to choose. And Ian's ears perk up, a grin forming as he recognizes the song.

"You told the DJ to play this if you won, didn't you?" Ian guesses, slipping his arms back around Aeric's neck once they meet. It's only his favorite song by Puddle of Mush, a slower ballad about how love can come from the most unexpected of places, and so perfect for them. Sure, his crown is plastic and the sash is cheesy, but he's dancing with the _Spring Fling King_! There's no way the night can get any better than this.

"I _may_ have made the suggestion," Aeric answers vaguely, chuckling. "I just wanted to see how magical I could make the night for you."

Ian notices the flash from the corner of his eye, that Jax is taking even more pictures of them for yearbook. This will be the most he's ever been featured, and he can't wait to get his copy now. "It's more than magical," he assures. "I don't know if I want the night to end when it's this perfect."

When Jax leaves to take pictures of Millie and her date, Aeric slips the crown from his head to place atop Ian's curls instead. "Aeric, what—"

"You deserve it for everything you've given me," he explains, placing his hands back on Ian's hips. "And every day after this is going to be even more magical."

"How do you know that?" Ian asks, a little breathless. How is it his boyfriend knows exactly what to say?

"Because you're still with me. And we'll always have this night, and every night that comes after it. And no matter what, I'm always going to love you."

Aeric makes forever seem like such a possibility. Ian knows this is young love—his _first_ love, in fact—but he sees a flash of a future with him. This gorgeous guy that looks at him like there's no one else in the universe. But Aeric is right: no matter what, Ian will always remember this first love.

Ian pulls Aeric into a loving kiss as the song ends, swayed by his boyfriend's promise that the fairy tale won't be over after tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Every chapter is sappy as hell with fluff, and you'll totally understand it in the next fic, heh. Look, just let me have this in quarantine; I need it.
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are greatly appreciated.


	15. First Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ian reflects on what he's just done with Aeric.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: two consenting teenagers talking about sex in the aftermath. I tried to be as respectful to privacy and as vague as possible to keep a T rating.
> 
> It's the only time I'm breaking formula, too, in the penultimate chapter by also having it from Ian's perspective. But we're almost done here, and it's my fic, and I think it works. Also, it was completely planned from the outline for this to be the only break.

_**First Time** _

" _Can never give him enough, enough of my love."_

—" **Everything He Needs" Carly Rae Jepsen**

**Ian**

His soul is still taking its sweet time working its way back into his body, just coming back down to their realm. But if it didn't transcend in the first place, Ian honestly doesn't think that what just happened would have, well, _happened_. He rolls off of Aeric, who's still looking up at the ceiling, panting, and cuddles up to his side. Gods, he's so _warm_.

"Aer?" he asks quietly, pressing a gentle kiss against one of the many marks made against his boyfriend's neck (he isn't aware until just now of just _how many_ he left). Ian can't help the slight trembles that work through his body, still trying to process.

"Hm?" Aeric hums after a few moments, entangling their legs together as he shifts more to his side, but he's careful not to lean _too_ far. But his brow furrows as he takes Ian in a little more. "You're shaking, baby."

"I'm okay," Ian assures, trying to ground himself by closing his eyes for a moment and taking a few deep breaths. When he opens them again, there are those violet eyes, which haven't stopped looking at him with complete and total trust.

Sighing, Aeric pushes the sheets down a little, slowly starting to move. "Hold on," he says, getting out of bed with a little stumble. Ian reaches forward as if he can help from where he's laying.

"Are _you_ okay?" he asks instead, unable to help the little chuckle that escapes.

"Yeah." Aeric grabs his glasses from the nightstand, and there's a little laugh in his voice, too. "I'll be fine—it's just been a while. You did _quite_ a number on me."

Ian watches as Aeric walks (with a little bit of a slight limp) out of the room, and if his backside just isn't the best view... Sighing, he rolls back, pulling the sheets up. They smell like Aeric; he's completely intoxicated.

Slowly he lets himself relive what happened, now that he's coming down from his high and can finally _think_. Weren't they studying for finals? When was the precise moment where he lunged forward and kissed Aeric without a care in the world and it led to... _this_? The thing they'd kind of been skirting around, the thing Ian honestly feared far more than telling Aeric he loved him.

Ian looks down at the piles of haphazard clothes strewn about the floor: his flannel atop Aeric's jeans, his jeans somehow on the other side of the room... he did that, didn't he? Flushing, all he can really remember and focus on are Aeric's eyes, which were plastered to his the entire time, pleading with him, telling him that, whatever he was doing, it was what he wanted. He can remember Aeric's muffled voice asking if every step is okay, and that he has everything, and then... pure bliss he can't even describe. A warmth and a trust that transcends.

He always thought his first time would be at night, one of those clichés with candlelight and everything light and airy and it'd be completely planned... but Aeric had been right about it being more of a feeling, a mood that keeps building and you never knew when and where it would strike.

As in, during one weekend afternoon, at Aeric's house, while his parents are out (Fiske at the office; Della running errands). Daylight still streaming from the blinds, and flooding with so much light that Ian now realizes he's hidden _nothing_ from Aeric. And yet Aeric never once commented on how lithe he is, only praised him in countless compliments and kisses. But he doesn't feel much different, like he thought he would. Like there would be some threshold between being not having sex, and then... finally having it. He's still Ian, and Aeric is still Aeric, and it's just a natural progression in their relationship.

And the only thing that's changed, is that he loves Aeric even more than the day before, and now there's more trust between them than ever.

Aeric still walks a little funny as he enters his room again, looking a little fresher with a clean, damp washcloth in hand. Honestly, Ian was just letting instinct take over, hiding all fears in the corner of his mind as he _acted_ without much hesitation. Aeric _did_ mention he had this natural dominance, and, well, that certainly seems to be true, after what they'd just done.

"You're kind of... loud," Ian admits as Aeric settles back into bed, immediately intertwining their legs again.

Flushing at the comment, Aeric avoids eye contact and starts cleaning Ian up. The cool, damp cloth swiping gently across his skin is something he didn't realize he needed, but leave it to Aeric to just know. "So I've been told..." he replies quietly, embarrassed by it. Ian wonders if it's ever been used as a negative.

"It's not a bad thing," he assures, sighing as Aeric's hands continue to work over his torso. Amazingly, all his fears about how he looks are the last thing on his mind, especially since this all happened in near broad daylight. "I liked that you let me know what I was doing well, I guess."

"Well, no one's perfect their first time." Aeric sighs, too, finally looking up at Ian. "But I think your partner should know what they're doing right, to keep it up. I guess I'm just used to guys telling me to be quiet, but I get where _that_ comes from."

Ian laughs lightly, out of observation as opposed to laughing _at_ Aeric (not that he could ever). "Well, I guess it's a good thing everyone was out, right?"

"A very good thing." Aeric leans over and kisses Ian's nose. "How are you feeling?"

"Amazing," Ian sighs, his voice full of heady bliss. The shivers from earlier are now just pleasant tingles, and now that it's happened, he can't stop _holding_ Aeric. At the beginning of the year, he couldn't so much as _look_ at him. "We keep saying there's no possible way we could love each other more, but this just leaped galaxies. It transcends magic, even."

"I'm better than magic? There's no way." Shaking his head, Aeric places the washcloth on the nightstand and pulls Ian flush. Much nicer now that they're cleaner. And yeah, they should probably get up and dress soon, but he wants to just bask in the afterglow and live in this intimate moment they've made for themselves.

"Well, I love you more than I love magic." And boy, is he learning how to love magic and its endless possibilities. But magic isn't Aeric. "And I'm sorry if you can't walk that well..." He's still unsure just _how_ that happened, but then again, he _did_ lose himself back there in that bliss.

"I'll be _fine_ ," Aeric assures again. "Not the worst I've taken by a long shot, but by far one of the best."

Now it's Ian's turn to flush—really, he's not sure what he's expecting to hear. _But_ , it should be something they're comfortable talking about, and Ian's starting to open himself up more to it.

"You're really lucky," Aeric adds, reaching up to brush Ian's curls back. He can only imagine how messy they look—certainly more than his boyfriend's.

"Why do you say that?" Sure, he's the lucky one for having someone as trusting, gorgeous, and understanding as Aeric, but something tells him it's not about any of what he just thought. It's something else.

"Your first time is with someone you love. That's something I can't have, no matter how much I'd want it."

The look in those violet eyes is so sincere, so _loving_ , that Ian can't help but cup that sharp jaw, just behind those long, pointed ears, and pull him in for a deep kiss. Their kisses have more meaning, now, more passion and depth he can't wait to explore.

"Well, you finally get to be with someone you love," Ian points out. "It's okay when it's a little late than never, right?"

"Yeah, that definitely makes me feel better," Aeric agrees. "Gods, the last thing I want to do is get up and continue studying for finals."

"I know, but junior year is what all the colleges _really_ look at," Ian sighs, but makes no move to get up, not when Aeric is so comfortable, abs and muscles and all. "I think our need to get into Willowdale is a _little_ more important."

Luckily a text from Della asking if they want anything for lunch becomes their quick catalyst for getting redressed, each article of clothing feeling different as Ian tugs them on. The rest of the afternoon plays out as normal as they study together, and yet he's in that fuzzy haze the entire time, enamored with everything having to do with his loving boyfriend.

If this is about as good as high school gets, then college with Aeric is going to be perfect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter to go! And then I get to torture myself all over again with a new fic afterward.
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are greatly appreciated.


	16. First Summer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As summer approaches quickly, Aeric contemplates what he's going to do to spend as much time with Ian as possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And with that, here's the last chapter of this fic! I know, I'm a force to be reckoned with, given this is the third fic I've finished this year, and I'm hoping to finish another for these two by the end of the year (fingers crossed).
> 
> I want to thank everyone who encouraged me when it comes to supporting an OC x Canon ship, whether you gave kudos to this story or liked my Lightheim art on my tumblr side blog or Twitter. This tiny little campaign that I started six months ago, while still small here, has made me so grateful to still appreciate fandom.
> 
> With that said, here's the final chapter, and the end to the first part of a three part series for these two lovebirds. Enjoy!

_**First Summer** _

" _Baby, you're the end of June._

_I want your belly and that summer feeling,_

_Getting washed away in you."_

—" **Watermelon Sugar" Harry Styles**

**Aeric**

With the fast approach of the end of the school year, Aeric looks at the pamphlets for the sports camp he's been attending since his parents got married, from camper to CIT. If he goes this summer, it'll be his last year. And yeah, he's had some great memories: getting his first crush on a CIT when he was eleven, sneaking into the woods late at night with his roommates to make s'mores, hookups he's both proud of and not so proud of.

This year, though, he has Ian. And yeah, they're both pretty keen on going to Willowdale together, but who knows if the scholarships he applies for go through for sports? Who knows if he even gets in? (Ian's a shoo-in, of course, given his dad went there and he's one of the smartest in their class.) Sure, there's senior year, but that's a _school_ year.

Summer with Ian means studying and learning for fun. It means days at the beach, and warm summer nights. And now that Ian's about to take his driving test to get his full license, eight whole weeks of going, well, wherever they want. Even if they both end up at Willowdale, next summer just won't be nearly as carefree. No matter what, it'll be filled with shopping, textbook buying, planning... this might be all they have.

Still, he knows Dad might be disappointed if he decides to skip out this year just for a guy. Sure, his applications are going to look just fine with the extracurricular commitments he's had over the years, all his accolades and awards in both sports and academics... but he'll need something a little more grounded to staying home as opposed to just saying it's to spend more time with Ian.

Ian takes his driving test on a Saturday afternoon, a couple of weeks before junior year is over. Aeric's bombarded with a few nervous texts, and he tries to assure his boyfriend that he's going to pass—he's driven with Ian before, and he's more than ready, despite the anxiety. Better than Barley, Aeric surmises, though he's only observed his driving from afar.

It's a testament that if Barley Lightfoot can pass his driving exam, Ian certainly can.

He promises to get them coffee afterward, taking a nice jog this late morning to Sirens. If (when) Ian passes, he's going to get picked up; if not, Aeric certainly doesn't mind the jog home (though it'll probably be a walk, given he's going to get his boyfriend a drink no matter what.

Today he's got his contacts in as opposed to jogging without any correction lenses, and does a double take as he passes the school and approaches Sirens—is that a "Help Wanted" sign he sees in the window?

Jogging up to the store, that's completely true. Is this a sign from the gods, both literally and figuratively? Can this actually be his answer to staying in New Mushroomton this summer? A _real_ job, that he can put on his application, where he can make some extra dough on the side and actually take Ian out on some great dates? The baristas and managers know him and Ian from spending their Tuesday afternoons at the shop, and he's pretty sure he can get permission to work from his parents, despite still being a minor.

Aeric jogs inside with a grin, pausing his music and stuffing his headphones into his sweatpants pocket. He's starting to learn more barista names: today it's Alia, a NMCC student (and another elf). She's the only one able to spell his name right, even though he's been coming here for, well, years. Upon seeing him, she breaks into a grin.

"Hey, Aeric! What brings you here on a Saturday?" She already has a cup out, poised to take his order.

"My boyfriend is taking his driving test, and when he passes he's gonna pick me up here," Aeric explains, unsure if she knows Ian's name yet. Usually he's the one ordering, since Ian's about as hopeless about coffee as he is about sports.

"'When'?" Alia raises an eyebrow. "You're pretty confident about him passing."

"He's a good driver," he assures. "Even on the off chance he doesn't pass, it's a good consolation. Or reward. It works either way."

"Iced blended mocha for him, iced skim latte for you?" she guesses.

"Yeah, thanks." Aeric fishes out his wallet. "Hey... was that a 'Help Wanted' sign in the window?" Best to play this off cool, just inquire in case the manager is thinking about not looking for a high school student. But if this can work out...

"It is." Alia accepts the payment and gets to work on making his drinks. "One of us is transferring to Crystalwood after getting his AA, so we're looking for some extra help. Why, you interested?"

"I am, actually." Oh, his heart is pounding. It's definitely not the run. "I know you're probably looking for someone who isn't seasonal, but..."

"Well, during this time of year, we can't really afford to be too picky about that," Alia admits over the sound of the blender with a shrug. "Our head manager isn't in today, but if you want, I can put in a word that you want to apply if you don't mind providing your number. He knows who you are, though, so I wouldn't be surprised if you got it, even if you're just seasonal. I mean, you _do_ know the difference between ristretto and long shots, right?"

"Ristretto pulls shorter shot times; long pulls longer shot times," Aeric answers immediately, writing down his number when Alia provides him with scrap receipt paper. "All I know is from observation, but I can tell you now that I'm a really fast learner."

"I believe that." She nods, handing over his drinks. "You're also really friendly and approachable, and a good strength is that a lot of your peers from summer school would know you from coming here."

"Are you trying to help me out here?" he asks, taking a sip of his latte. Just what he needed. "If so, I really do appreciate it."

"Might be," Alia replies with a wink, and that's enough for her to garner a little extra on tipping.

As Aeric settles in at his and Ian's usual booth, he gets the text.

" _Guess who's coming to pick you up?_ " It's sent with a thousand hearts and smiling emojis, which immediately has Aeric grinning.

" _And guess who got your ice blended to celebrate? I knew you could do it!_ "

" _Thanks, babe—I'll be there soon_. _Love you!_ "

"Soon" ends up being a little later than expected—which is weird, because Ian is never late. And given he's been driving, well... it's not like he can text at the same time. Aeric just sighs and looks out the window, watching Ian's ice blended slowly become slush and separate from the ice.

But there's Laurel's sedan coming into the parking lot, and, well... Ian still has a little to learn when it comes to parking, but thankfully he finds a space with two open ones on either side. Aeric waves his goodbyes to Alia and greets Ian with a quick kiss once he's inside the car.

"Congrats, babe! Of _course_ I knew you could do it!"

"Thanks," Ian chuckles, that hint of nervousness still laced in his voice as he takes a sip of his drink. "I'm sorry I'm late. Barley got stranded on the way to work and I thought I'd have to pick him up, but he got it sorted out. Something about a cute centaur mechanic? Anyway, I'm here now—I swear, I thought the goblin test taker was going to fail me for that last left hand turn..."

"But you're here! And they're gonna mail your real license in a couple of weeks with the worst picture imaginable." Aeric settles into his seat and buckles in. "Seriously—they just use your permit picture."

Ian groans, taking the car out of park. "Great... I'm gonna hate showing that off now."

"Yours will always be adorable," Aeric assures, grinning. "Even if you don't think so."

"You're so full of it." Ian rolls his eyes affectionately before driving them off.

* * *

Alia comes through with putting in that good word with the manager, because a week before the end of the school year, just as testing and finals are coming more to a close, Aeric gets the call for an interview. He researches a little more on coffee and job interviews, just to get a better idea on how to do this—it's his first interview, after all, and yet he has no idea how or even _what_ to tell his parents.

But he goes before school one morning, skipping the morning swim to meet with the head manager. This is probably how Ian felt before that driving test, and honestly, this is about as nerve wracking as building up how he was going to confess to Ian that he loved him. It seems to go well, he hopes—remembering everything he's learned about playing the game and how it's also about pleasing people, too, and being personable. And sure, maybe he doesn't know everything about coffee, but he can learn! There aren't a lot of jock baristas, as far as he knows.

"I can't believe you're going to camp this summer," Ian sighs during lunch, picking at the cafeteria pizza. "Summer is supposed to be perfect."

"Actually..." Aeric stops his little blender, before taking a swig of his smoothie. "I applied for a job at Sirens." Okay, he can't keep it a secret from Ian. "It'd suck to be away from you for six of the eight short weeks."

"You sure?" Ian reaches over and takes one of Aeric's hands. "Will your parents be okay with it if you got a job instead?"

"I mean, it's real money, real work experience." Aeric shrugs. "I can't see why that'd be a worse alternative to some sports camp, even if I've been going for years. That'll look good on a Willowdale application, don't you think?"

"Applications already?" Parthenope laments into her salad. "I just want _one_ more summer where I don't have to think about any of that."

"Sorry, you're right. We should probably enjoy being kids while we still can," Ian points out, though his smile has a hint of sadness to it. "Hey, you know they're giving out yearbooks tomorrow, right?"

"I can't wait to see all the little blurbs and articles I wrote!" Sadalia cries, clapping her hands together.

"And the spread on the LGBTQ+ club!" Althea adds.

"And now that Ian has his license, we can totally hit the beach together more often!" says Gurge excitedly.

A whole summer with these kids? It's making Aeric want to stay in town more and more.

* * *

He doesn't hear anything for a couple of days, until early gets home, and his parents are waiting for him at the dining table, patiently.

"Um... hi?" he says, shooting them an unsure wave.

"Aeric, would you mind coming in here for a second?" asks Dad. With that calm tone of voice, Aeric swallows thickly; he's bound to be in trouble, or at least in for a pretty serious talk.

"Yeah, Dad?" He places his backpack down on the ground. The only thing he wants to do is read what Ian wrote in his yearbook (they both made the cheesy promise to only look once they were at home)—a pep talk just might sour that mood.

"I just got a call from Dewey at Sirens. Something about how they want to offer you a summer job as a barista?" Dad raises a thick brow, brown eyes magnified behind his rectangular lenses. Mom is surprisingly silent, just with a gentle hand on Dad's arm.

Damn. Aeric had to give the home number as a backup just in case they wanted to call while he was at school. "Uh... yeah, about that?"

"Why didn't you just tell us you wanted a job this summer, sweetie?" Mom interrupts, her voice soft as ever. "We would have helped you out with finding one."

"It was... kind of a last minute thing," Aeric admits, rubbing the back of his neck. "I didn't want you both to think I wanted to stay at home this summer _just_ because of Ian, so I started looking for a reason to stay."

"It's fine if you did," Mom assures, and Aeric notices her grip on Dad's arm tightening just a bit to keep him from saying the wrong thing. "We were just a little surprised at how sudden it all was, and that you didn't want to tell us. Are you sick of camp?"

"I mean... I know it'd be my last year, and all the guys are great. I'd probably have a ton of fun. But I kind of want to make Ian a priority. It's not just a high school fling. We want to go to the same college, major in similar departments," he explains, hoping that sounds mature enough for his reasoning. "Besides, a job probably looks better on an application, and on scholarships as opposed to being sent to a camp, no matter how long."

"We're not mad," Dad assures, and through his mustache, Aeric can see that. He wishes he could see more of himself with Dad, other than the shape of his nose and the same terrible eyesight, than whoever used to be in the picture in his room. "We just wish you had discussed these plans with us a little more."

"Oh no..." Aeric groans. "You already made a deposit on camp?"

"Yup." Mom nods, her gills flaring a tad. "Which means you're gonna have to pay the difference with those first few paychecks if you take this job."

Sighing, he runs a hand through his hair. "Yeah, that's fair, I guess."

"Hey, if you came to us first..." She shrugs. "Actions have consequences, kid. You wanna be an adult with a job this summer, right?"

"Yeah..."

"That's not being too harsh on him, Dell, is it?" asks Dad. It's funny... Aeric's seen him so rough and demanding when it comes to clients or banging out contracts, but he never seems to know how to act around him and Mom, usually flustered. He wonders if it has something to do with having a hard time as a single dad, all those years ago.

"No, it's fine, Dad," Aeric assures. "Mom's right about that, and I guess that means I'll have to start off strong."

"You should call Dewey back, let him know you're interested in taking the job," he advises. "You know, before the NMCC kids start applying, too."

"Right." Aeric grabs his backpack. "I'll text Ian afterward. Kind of don't want his anxiety going through the roof wondering."

"I'm gonna keep you on your same workout schedule like at school," Mom warns. "We'll work around it with those opening shifts, if you get 'em."

If that means he gets to spend the majority of his summer, going through his reading list with Ian, it'll definitely be worth it. "Yeah. Maybe a little later though, so I can actually stay out?" he asks, hopeful as he stands up.

"I don't mind making an exception. Hell, we could all use more time sleeping in," Mom agrees. "And hey... even though you didn't go around it the right way, we're proud of you."

"Thanks." His heart's pounding, but... this summer is shaping up to be everything he's ever wanted, and it hasn't even started yet.

Once he's upstairs, he calls Sirens to accept the job, but he's so hyped up on the adrenaline that the conversation doesn't even process within him until he's texting Ian with shaking hands. He's slated to start a week after school ends, once his parents sign a few papers and he's set up to go.

" _I got the job, and I'm taking it_!"

Ian's response is immediate: " _I just got done reading through my yearbook... I've never had this many people sign it before!_ _But congrats, babe! This is going to be the best summer ever!_ "

Aeric smiles; is there anything Ian can say that _isn't_ completely charming right off the bat?

" _I love you_ ," he texts back. " _Must have said it about a hundred times in what I wrote in your yearbook, though, huh?_ "

" _I loved it_ ," Ian assures. " _And I get to treasure it forever_."

He still hasn't gotten around to reading everything: from Tina's sappy goodbye next to the cheerleading squad portrait, to the seniors on the team writing farewell wishes over their respective jersey numbers. Throughout Study Hall it had been just a flurry of yearbooks being passed around to him—and Aeric makes sure to write his dedication and well wishes on his and Ian's superlative, which Jax worked into a perfect capsule that he gets to keep for years to come. If he's going to be remembered after high school, he doesn't want it to just be about the game, or being Tina's right hand man at her famous parties; he wants to be remembered with Ian, to know that, even if it doesn't last (and how could it not?), he'll always have this magic.

" _Kelby, I know you'll help lead the team to victory next year. Give 'em hell!_ " from Gregor.

" _Kelby, can't wait to play with you as your new captain_!" from Peter Vorg, who was pretty much destined to be QB from the beginning of JV.

" _Aeric, had fun getting to know you this year_!" from Parthenope.

He flips through them all, running his fingers over the glossy pages just fresh from Spring Fling, Tina's and Gregors Prom King and Queen pictures, Sadalia in the foreground of a great cheerleading picture taken at a home game.

And when he gets to Ian's, which takes up quite a bit of space, Aeric lays down on his bed, looking around his room at every polaroid shot they've taken together this year, from study dates, to after school shenanigans, to selfies in the park. There's this feeling in his chest that's deeper than love, that tells Aeric that he's ready to face the future head on with Ian, no matter what the adventure calls for. That he might have actually lucked out this early, and found the perfect guy that he's willing to love through thick and thin. He hopes that's what he's conveyed when he wrote in Ian's yearbook, anyway.

Aeric picks up his copy and reads, and afterward he has to take off his glasses to wipe the tears forming in his eyes.

* * *

Practice for the team ends a week before school's out, given the field is taken over by graduation rehearsal, and is slated to start again a couple of weeks before it starts up again. With finals over, he and Ian watch enviously as all the seniors take it easy with their activities, graduation happening the day after they're all gone.

"I can't believe that in a year, that's going to be us!" Ian cries, and Aeric can tell he's already picturing them in green caps and gowns that the seniors are just picking up. Tina approaches them with a melancholy smile.

"I can't believe it, after all these years... I might be leaving you off okay," she sighs, kissing Aeric's cheek.

"I'd say more than okay," Aeric assures, squeezing Ian's hand. "But you've gotten me out of more than my fair share of sticky situations."

"And maybe it'll still happen once you're both at Willowdale," she says hopefully, casting her gaze over to Ian. "You're both going to make it—I just know it."

"Aw, thanks, Tina," Ian chuckles. "And thanks for all the help—you know, with being so nice to me at parties and stuff."

Tina places both her hands on Ian's shoulders, looking at him head on. "I never thought there was any guy out there good enough for Aeric for the longest time," she says. "But you're even better than what I could have ever wanted for him." And she accentuates it by giving him a huge hug. "Don't let him cause too much trouble without me, you hear?"

"I-I won't!" Ian promises, his eyes wide with a little shock that she'd leave him with something so profound.

Aeric meets Ian at his locker on the last day of school, after the last bell, leaning casually against the locker beside his. Ian's packing up all the little magnets and decorations he's hung in there in his backpack, being careful of all the pictures of them together, which Aeric notices has him smiling fondly at the memories of these past few months.

"Hey," he says, smirking over at his boyfriend. "You're Ian, right?"

Ian pauses, before realizing what he's just said, and playfully rolls his eyes. "Real funny, Aer."

"I had to!" Aeric's smirk turns into a full blown smile as he holds his hands up, defensively. "This is where we met, after all. Officially, anyway."

Sighing, Ian zips up his backpack and closes his locker for the last time. "I never thanked you for that, by the way," he says.

"For what?" Aeric asks, a little perplexed. Ian's the one who asked _him_ out in the first place.

"Making the first move. I probably would have been silently pining after you the rest of the school year, and you never would have noticed."

"No, you wouldn't have. Someone else would have asked you out, believe me."

"Then I'm glad you came first," Ian confesses, slinging the straps over his shoulders. Overall shorts over a crop top don't work too well on everyone, but his boyfriend pulls it off flawlessly. "I don't want to imagine a junior year where we're not together."

"Neither do I," Aeric agrees, picking Ian up by the waist, backpack and all, giving him an effortless twirl before setting him down into a kiss. "So, what are you doing right now?"

"Meeting up with everyone," Ian answers immediately, threading his fingers with Aeric's. He's still playing along with their first real conversation, and his palm feels sure and steady against his own. "Getting some Master FroYo, and then it's off to the park now that summer's just starting."

"Sounds perfect. Looks like I'll have to join you." They start heading down the hall hand in hand, waving their goodbyes to everyone, wishing faculty and other students great summers. And just as they head out the giant doors leading out of NMHS, there's the gang, waiting for them at the stairs off to the side, in their usual before-and-after school hangout spot. The freshly painted dragon mural smiles at them in their peripheral vision as they greet everyone, eager to start their summer off on the right foot. Sadalia beckons them over, dishing out all the information she knows about the new cheerleading captain; Althea is helping push Kameron in her chair, now that they've made things official; Gurge lets Aeric know he has a spare ball for them to play with once they're in the park; and Parthenope fluffs her freshly bleached curls, testing out this summer if blondes really do have more fun.

Ian squeezes his hand, and Aeric squeezes back with a smile, completely content with the realms.

* * *

" _Dear Aeric,_

_Heart's Fire was always a term I struggled with when it came to learning magic, especially when it came to believing in myself. It started with Barley, but even though you don't have 'The Gift,' you have enough Heart's Fire for ten thousand dragons. I don't think I've met anyone as genuine or as passionate as you—you always know what to say or do when I'm even a little down, and when I'm with you, I'm floating._

_Sometimes I try to think about what would have happened if we just continued living our lives separately, but now we're both so intertwined it's impossible. You bring out the best in me, that I didn't even know I had, so naturally. And I hope that still happens with you, even given how confident and experienced you are. I hope I've given some of that to you, and I feel like I have. I feel like I see it when you smile._

_You've helped me become more of the person I know my dad would be proud of. You're my first for so many things: first date, first kiss, first game, first time falling in love. And for that, you'll always be in my heart._

_Thank you for teaching me what real magic is._

_Love always,_

_Ian"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope you enjoyed this full-filled, completely indulgent fic I had to write for myself in quarantine. Sometimes you just need to give yourself exactly what you want, no matter how sappy.
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are always appreciated. See you in the next fic!

**Author's Note:**

> This is not going to have a consistent schedule like my other two fics, but prolly expect some sporadic updates at some point every week, where the other two will still continue to be updated on Sundays. I'm obsessed with my boys. And if I don't write, draw, and edit for them now, I'm never gonna prove it, apparently.
> 
> As always, kudos and comments are so appreciated, especially during these trying times! I know OCs never get that popular, but I'm hoping to just spread some of that love!


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